Through All the Pain // N. Longbottom

Summer 1996 // Chapter 4

A/n: SURPRISE!!! A double update!!!! 

The next day was very uneventful, it consisted of mainly us kids being locked upstairs doing our own things. That night, Ginny and Hermione were talking about boys, while I was sitting in Ron's room talking about Quidditch with him, well mainly about a certain Quidditch player.

"You're not still bloody hung up on Krum taking Hermione to the Yule ball are you?" I said shaking my head at him after he had just said Bulgaria had the worst team ever.  "Honestly Ronald that was like two years ago!"

"Only a year and a half!" he refuted. "Besides, he was a git."

"You only think of it that way because he asked Hermione to the Yule Ball before you could," I said with a knowing smile.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh quit playing games, I've known you fancied Hermione since our third year!" I said leaning against the bed. "I mean, starting that year you agreed to go off with her more when it would just be the two of you. Then how you got jealous during the Yule Ball, which was really unbecoming fo you by the way and -"

"Alright! Alright!" Ron said raising his hands. "I get it, you can read me like a book."

"I know." I tossed my hair over my shoulder as he just rolled his eyes. I glanced at the alarm clock beside his bed and decided it was time to head off to join Hermione and Ginny. "I've avoided the trash talk twins all I could for the day."

"I don't understand why they don't just like Fleur," Ron said, grabbing his toy ball and tossing it back and forth in his hands. "I mean, Bill's had five other girlfriends, each completely horrible for him. Ginny should be happy that Bill is in a healthy relationship for once."

"In her eyes, it's not a healthy one," I said rolling my eyes. "Anyway, goodnight Ron. I'll see you tomorrow!" I opened his door and walked out of his room and headed to mine. As I walked in I ran into Hermione who was all ready for bed.

"I'm going to go brush my teeth. Ginny was going to talk to Bill before heading downstairs to place some laundry by the washer. Ginny is going to try and get Bill to break up with Fleur."

"You've got to be kidding!" I said while changing into my pajamas, "I swear Ginny is going to get an earful from Bill if she keeps up this hating on Fleur." Hermione nodded her head slightly before going off to brush her teeth. Once I was finished getting dressed, I grabbed one of the Witch Weekly magazines that Ginny had on her trunk and started leafing through it.

"Mum?" Ginny's voice came from downstairs. I heard the instant sound of Mum's footsteps exiting her room and walking over to the landing.

"Ginny, what is it?"

"I was only wondering when Harry got here." I closed the magazine and jumped off of my bed and stood in my doorway as they continued to shout up and down the stairs.

"What? Harry? Harry who?" I laughed slightly at my Mum as Ginny answered back.

"Harry Potter, of course."

"I think I'd know if Harry Potter was in my house, wouldn't I?" Mum muttered sassily as she started to walk down the stairs. 

"His trunks in the kitchen, and his owl."

"No, dear. I seriously doubt that." Mum scoffed, however, she was immediately proven wrong as an Owl let out a little chirp. I ran to the banister just outside my room, as Ron did the same.

"Harry? Did someone say 'Harry'?" Ron asked nearly falling over the banister.

"Me, nosy. Is he up there with you?"

"Of course not," Ron replied with a huff. "I'd know if my best friend was in my room, wouldn't I?" I rolled my eyes at Ron, as Hedwig let out another screech. This time Hermione came running from the bathroom. 

"Is that an owl, I heard?"

"You haven't seen him, have you?" Ginny asked Hermione.

"Who?"

"Apparently Harry is wandering around the house," I said with a chuckle as I leaned on the banister.

"Really?" Hermione said excitedly. 

"Really!" came a voice from downstairs. Ginny turned and she sprinted out of sight so I laughed as Mum, Ron, and Hermione all sprinted down.

"Harry!" Mum said as she attacked Harry in a bear hug. "Why didn't you let us know you were coming?" she asked cradling his face.

"I didn't know, Dumbledore."

"Oh, that man." Mum stated playfully, "But then what would we do without him?" Harry let out a small laugh but quickly looked over her shoulder to see us all standing there. However, he was transfixed on Ron who was attempting to wipe the toothpaste off of Hermione's cheek. 

"Got a bit of toothpaste ... erm," Ron said causing Hermione to blush a little bit. I snickered into my sleeve as Ron blushed as well. Eventually after Mum shoved like three plates of food at Harry, we all ventured up to Ron's bedroom. Ginny decided to head to bed so the four of us were sitting on his floor as a piece of newspaper that we lit on fire was floating in the middle of the room. 

"So, when did you get here?" Harry asked Hermione.

"A few days ago," she replied. "Although, for a while, I wasn't sure I was coming." Hermione fidgeted uncomfortably looking between Ron and myself. I opened my mouth to speak but Ron beat me to it.

"Mum sort of lost it last week, said Ginny, Lori, and I had no business going back to Hogwarts, that it's too dangerous, with You-Know-Who at large."

"Not to mention," I said adding to the conversation, "You-Know-Who apparently wants me, since I can block the killing curse."

"Also, Mum mentioned how we each have almost died within the past five years." Ron finished.

"Oh, come on." Harry scoffed.

"She's not alone," Hermione defended. "Even my parents and they are Muggles know something bad is happening."

"Anyway, Dad stepped in and told her she was being barmy. It took her a few days to fully calm down, but eventually, she came around."

"But this is Hogwarts we're talking about. It's Dumbledore, what could be safer?" Harry said rolling his eyes. 

"Well ... there's been a lot of talk recently that ..." Hermione said slowly, hoping not to set Harry off. "Dumbledore's got a bit old."

"Rubbish!" Harry shouted making me jump back a little bit. Ron noticed and lightly slapped Harry on the knee, and jolted his head at me. "Sorry, Lori. Well, he's only ... what is he?"

"Hundred and fifty? Give or take a few years." Ron answered with a chuckle. We all seemed to burst into laughter as the paper burned into ash. By the time it was completely ash, we decided to head our separate ways for the night and get some sleep. As Hermione and I walked into the room, we noticed Ginny was still up and hanging out of the window.

"Ginny? What are you doing?" I asked as I shut the door. Ginny jumped as she twirled around.

"Nothing! Nothing at all!" she replied with a sheepish grin on her face. So I pushed past her and saw none other than Dean Thomas hovering outside our window on his broom.

"Dean?!" 

"H-hey, Lori. How're you?" he said timidly before fixing the collar of his shirt. As he did this I looked between him and Ginny and glanced at her bed which was no longer made. 

"Dean Thomas," I said calmly. "DID YOU SERIOUSLY FLY OVER HERE ON YOUR BROOM TO SHAG MY BABY SISTER?!" I shouted shoving Ginny out of the way before leaning out of the window trying to grab ahold of his broom.

"Ummmm, see you on the train!" Dean shouted as he flew off into the night sky. When he was out of sight, I whirled around to Ginny who refused to look me in the eye.

"Please tell me you didn't shag one of my best friends," I said flopping down on my bed.

"We didn't shag!" Ginny replied indignantly, "You guys weren't talking long enough for us to anyway."

"GINNY!!"