Chapter 24: Weasleys

Ron is just about to ask Harry why Ginny's ring was in that note when a snowy white owl flutters gently down to perch on the windowsill, and Draco strokes its feathers lightly as he unties the note. He glances at it, then stops in the act of tossing it aside and stares. A few seconds tick by, and then he's tearing it open, muttering to himself as he scans it.

"What is it, Malfoy?"

Draco holds up a finger but doesn't otherwise respond. Harry props his chin on Draco's shoulder and peers down at the parchment.

"What do you think?" Malfoy asks.

Harry shrugs. "It's in German."

Malfoy blinks. "So?"

"I can't read German," Harry replies, rolling his eyes.

"You can't…" Malfoy smacks his forehead. "Potter. Did anything Granger spoon-fed you at Hogwarts stick?"

Harry opens his mouth to answer but is cut off as Malfoy mutters something and jabs Harry between the eyebrows with his wand.

Ron's hand creeps toward his wand reflexively. "Malfoy. What did you—"

"Oh, relax, Weasley. It's just a translation spell. Don't worry — I didn't expect you to remember it."

Hermione grabs his arm before he can lunge forward, holding him back as he splutters.

Malfoy doesn't notice. His attention is fixed firmly back on the letter as he rereads it and taps his foot impatiently. Harry's brow is furrowed as he stares intently at the letter, lips moving silently as he reads.

"This spell is bloody weird—" he complains, but Malfoy cuts him off, eyes bright, hair tousled where he's been running his fingers through it.

"Potter! Do you realize what this is?"

They stare at one another for a minute, then Harry's eyes light with apparent understanding.

"We, uh, have to go," he says, turning toward the door.

"Wait, Harry!" Ron cries. "What about Ginny?"

He turns back, forehead creasing with a slight frown. "What about her?"

"Well… Well, aren't you going after her?" Ron asks, baffled.

Harry turns to look at Malfoy, waiting impatiently for him at the door, coat already half on, then shrugs. "Nah. She's a big girl. She can take care of herself."

"That wasn't what I meant—" Ron begins exasperatedly, but they're already spinning away.

For a moment Ron can't move, can't think, and then his eyes catch on the parchment lying forgotten on the floor. He snatches up the one with his sister's familiar handwriting and begins to read.

Dear Harry,

I won't apologize for leaving you — you've left me far too many times already. Don't chase me out of some sense of obligation; I absolve you of all of it. Just… take the opportunity to seize what you really want. I know you're not prone to introspection, so just promise me that you'll find the time one of these days to sort things out.

I wish you the best,

Ginny

Ron stares down at the note in his hands, silently wishing her well. He's not upset at Harry, really. He's just happy Ginny has stood up for what she wants. And relieved that he won't have to watch the pain in her eyes as Harry leaves her again.

Pansy wraps an arm around him, startling him back to the present, and slings the other around Hermione.

"Do you think they'll ever realize that they act more like a couple than either ever did with the girls?" Ron asks.

Pansy snorts in response. "No. But they're happy, so I suppose it doesn't really matter."

~The End~