Story: Broken But Brave
Chapter Twenty One: Ron's Antics

"Lumos!" Harry hissed and the tip of his wand lit to reveal the owner of the voice. He pointed it forward and Ron's startled look scared Harry and Ginny.

"A face like that should not come without a warning!" Harry teased. Ginny chuckled behind him. He waved his wand around the entrance way and at once, the gas lamps started glowing once again. 

"Oi, a face like that should not scare us either," Ron teased back with a grin. 

"Thank you very much, Ron. I think Harry's face is more handsome than yours," Ginny retorted. Hermione rolled her eyes and suddenly without any warning pounced on a very startled Harry, hugging him tightly.

"Harry James Potter! You scared the wits out of me!" Hermione cried. Harry hugged her back.

"Er, Herm-" Harry started but was cut off once again as Ron joined the hug as well, making it a group hug. Ginny smiled at them. They broke away a minute later, Harry panting slightly. 

"Don't you ever disappear like that!" Hermione scolded. Harry nodded, wincing. Ginny rolled her eyes.

"That was not the only thing he did, Hermione," Ginny said. Harry glared at her and shook his head, hoping his eyes would speak for him. Ginny knew that he was trying to ask her not to tell Hermione but she was not going to give in to him. Hermione turned to look at her with raised eyebrows. "This idiot here tried to kill himself."

Hermione visibly gasped and Ron's eyes widened and turned misty as he looked back and forth from Harry to Ginny. "What?!" Hermione shrieked. Ginny nodded. "How?"

"He has several bruises. Ring any bells?" Ginny asked. Hermione's eyes filled with tears of melancholy or anger, that Harry did not know. "This prat locked the door using some complex Auror levelled charm. I had to blast poor Padfoot's door open to enter. I spent most of our time cleaning and covering them. Git, don't know from when he was doing this!" Ginny exclaimed, a few tears leaking out of her own eyes. Hermione shook her head, apparently unable to process anything. Surprisingly, Ron was the one who spoke up.

"Harry! What did you do that for?!" he asked, looking half mad and half concerned. Although he had seen the bloody dagger, it was just a suspicion. It seemed that the head auror's suspicion came to be true.

Harry shrugged in response. Ron opened his mouth to retort but Hermione silenced him. "It's okay, Ron. It's over," she said gently to Ron. "Harry, do not think about anything else. Nothing is too challenging for that move and promise me that you will never, ever think of that," Hermione said in the same gentle voice. Harry nodded.

"I swear."

Hermione nodded with a smile. "Good."

"Er, mate. . . can we go in? I'm afraid Walburga will start shouting once again," Ron said nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. As if on cue, the curtains opened and Mrs Black started screaming.

"BLOOD TRAITORS! HALF BREEDS! MUDBLOODS! GET OUT OF MY PURE HOUSE!" all four living people of the house groaned. 

"Oh, shut up Mrs Black! I'm the owner of this pure house now!" Harry shouted at the frowning lady in the portrait. Saying so, he pointed his wand at the portrait once again and sealed the curtain shut and muttered some other long, complex sounding charm. Ron was laughing the entire time Harry was performing the charm. The two girls looked on in apparent confusion.

"Brilliant mate!" Ron said, grinning like an idiot. Harry grinned back.

"Can anyone explain what happened?" Hermione asked, curiously.

"I placed an Auror level locking charm on those curtains. Won't open for another year at the most unless she is too stubborn," Harry answered, smirking. Hermione and Ginny grinned. "Come on, let's go in."

Harry led his group of friends to the dining room. The two cups of coffee were completely cold right now so he went to the kitchen to heat them and make two more cups for Ron and Hermione meanwhile the sibling duo and Hermione sat at the table.

"Ginny, I remember telling you to visit us at Linsay's Café with or without Harry," Ron started sternly.

"Oops," Ginny muttered, looking embarrassed. "Sorry, Ron. I was so engrossed in tending to Harry that I completely forgot. . ."

Ron looked at her sternly. "My aurors have been searching without a break, you know?" he asked. She looked down guiltily. Hermione glared at Ron when he burst out laughing. Confused, Ginny looked up. "Relax sis, I am only joking. I sent them away at midnight to fetch some much needed rest."

Ginny sighed visibly. Hermione turned to her. "Ginny, are you both alright?" she questioned gently. Before Ginny could reply, Ron opened his mouth.

"Of course they are! Look at their plates! They were having their breakfast very early! It's just eight in the morning and you are having breakfast earlier than me?!" Ron exclaimed. Both the girls rolled their brown eyes.

"I did NOT talk about food, Ronald Weasley!" Hermione reprimanded, causing Ron to cower behind the table. Hermione glared at him before looking at Ginny. Harry took this opportunity to walk in. Hermione cleared her throat and visibly changed the topic. "So, Ginny, can we go out for a walk? It is a bit suffocating in here," Hermione suggested. Ginny nodded. Ron and Harry looked confused. The two girls got up and after saying a temporary farewell, they left the house to the two men. The redhead turned to his best friend.

"So mate, whatcha say for a match of chess?"

⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡

The road was damp from the previous day's shower as the two girls walked, hands stuffed in their coat pockets. It was freezing cold and the crisp wind which blew worsened the cold atmosphere. The air smelt fresh and of damp mud. Ginny inhaled deeply.

"Ginny, are you okay?" Hermione asked, looking concerned.

"Yes, just a bit worn out," Ginny replied, staring ahead as they walked. Hermione nodded

"So. . .are you both alright now? Don't be so oblivious like Ron now, please," Hermione said. Ginny chuckled.

"No, I'm not Ron. And 'I don't know' is the answer I can give you."

"What do you mean by you don't know? Did you both spend the whole night quarrelling with each other?!" Hermione inquired in disbelief.

"No, Hermione. Yes, we may have quarelled a little bit but not as much as you and Ron," Ginny joked and Hermione frowned. "Right. I-I think we both are okay. Well, he asked me to marry him again," Ginny recollected. Her eyes were like Luna's right now; She wore a dreamy look. 

"And?" Hermione urged.

"I rejected."

"What?!" Hermione shrieked, looking quite mad at the younger girl. "Ginny, you do understand his mental state, don't you?! He-" Hermione started ranting but was cut off by Ginny.

"I don't need you reminding me about his state, Hermione. I know very well and intend to fix him soon. I only rejected him because it is illegal to marry him again when I am already married to him and have his name for my surname."

Hermione's eyes widened as she processed the information she was given. "You did not sign that letter?" shee asked, her voice above a whisper. Ginny nodded.

"I am Ginny Potter."

Decided to end it here. Sorry for the late update. I really wanted to update but the awards contest made me busy with all the result announcements. Anyways, did you like this chapter? Not much happens. Just a light hearted chapter with a few serious conversations. The following chapter too will be like this. This story is going to end and I'm thinking for a satisfying end to the story which encouraged me a lot to write.

This story won the second place for The Best Blurb in Zoop Mini Awards! I'm so happy! I've been trying to win an award for this book, especially so this is a feat to remember! Thank you all for your support.

Also, I changed the cover to a fanart based cover. Not much dark and a bit light hearted. Comment your opinion about it! I'm waiting to hear that!

Thank you for reading!

Miyoko x