A/N: Here we are, at the very end :( Love the reviews, love the encouragement and Shifting Tides is at it's end as well, as soon as all of the computer issues are nicely cleared up. Hermione, for the record, does not want her summer to end and have to listen to Harry mumble and Ron snore on the run.

End of Summer Before the Hunt: Dueling

Bill was dragging her frantically, glancing around suspiciously before dropping down at their privacy spot. He threw some charms and grinned at the paper, "I'm so pumped for the Order dueling tournament."

She felt a bit shy, Bill seemed very much to want to win, yet had chosen her to be his partner. She didn't think she was a poor duelist, but the of the times she'd been tested Dolohov had taken her out without breaking a sweat and she hadn't been able to hold a candle to Kingsley on the thestral. She wasn't Harry, she wasn't Ron, who she didn't think was exactly better than her, but certainly had a much wider range of curses from growing up pureblood to draw from that weren't in books. Yet Bill hadn't hesitated, the tournament had been announced and he'd looked immediately at her, not his father, not any of his brothers, just her and very confidently told her they were going to win this thing. "I've not seen much official dueling. We learned the basics at school, but Lockhart messed up so badly there was never a follow up lesson."

He was still scanning, "Albus wasn't a fan of it, cut dueling club Charlie's last year because it was breeding more house rivalries than quidditch, had caused a big rift between Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw." His finger was running up along their possible path to winning, "Hell we're on the same path as Charlie. That's bad, they're acrobatic and it's a duel we really don't want. Best hope they test out some crazy theory early on and it blows up in their faces."

She scoffed immediately and felt bad, Charlie was one of the last people that seemed like a threat in a duel, Charlie reminded her heavily of the twins, sweet, easy to joke, easy to laugh. He didn't seem like he had a mean bone in his body, he was just a teddy bear. She scanned their bracket, peering at the initial matches on the sheet he was rabidly making notes on.

Hermione Granger/ Bill Weasley vs. Mundungus Fletcher/ Rubeus Hagrid

Angelina Johnson/ Oliver Wood vs. Nymphadora Lupin/ Remus Lupin

Ralph Robinson/ Charlie Weasley vs. Fred Weasley/ George Weasley

Augusta Longbottom/ Neville Longbottom vs. Fidelia Figg/ Kingsley Shacklebolt

"No, really." The paper jerked as she was getting to names she didn't recognize and he shook his head, glancing around for Harry, "I wasn't kidding about the acrobatics, pet. Charlie's the only person we know of who's dodged the killing curse with a standing backflip. He did it out of sheer panic the first time because he was dodging a fire curse, but practiced the hell out of it. Thing is he can time it now, a curse comes his way he flips and hexes the hell out of you as he rotates back to land. Smaller, moving targets are harder to hit, they've got some coordinated moves that are freaky. Sure we'll see them show off."

"I thought Charlie just worked with dragons?" She asked in confusion, peering down, not really liking the other set pairs for the tournament either. There was no way Charlie could be part a tougher dueling pair than Remus and Tonks. He was a defense against the dark arts specialist and she was an auror for crying out loud.

"Exactly. We want to avoid all of the dragon tamer pairs. They live remotely, too much time, too much testosterone, too much dragon emotions so they constantly duel over the smallest things. Seen them just erupt into in one at the canteen over the last orange." He dropped a wink at her sheerly alarmed look, "Truthfully, they fund a lot of the reserves through dueling winnings, have a presence at almost any dueling competition. International, team, single, paired, doesn't matter. If we draw them, focus on Charlie, alright? I'll handle his partner, he'll duel forward, acting as a physical screen for Charlie taking the hexes, but don't count on that. They're completely unpredictable, saw them win a duel in the most insane fashion after one of them got dewanded right off the bat."

"How?" She queried, loving how enthused and fired up Bill was, setting down her pen from the little notes she was making. There was a small pang, Bill was as excited as her dad when his team was on and he seemed to feel like he was on the field wincing and cheering, her and Mum humoring him by wearing the jerseys he'd gotten them. It was strange having them hidden and in a way, she wanted to go put on the jersey that used to be hung on her doorknob, telling her it was game day and there would be no summer homework studying because he would be yelling too much at the telly.

What Bill said made it even worse, "They tossed the wand back and forth then Charlie had the wand and was hexing, but his partner had been at a sports thing and yelled for him to summon his tenny rocket-"

"Tennis racket." She corrected and tried, and failed, to hide her smile. She had constantly been dragged to the tennis courts by her father, skiing in the winter, tennis and horseback lessons in the summer.

Bill gave her a sheepish smile that triggered his dimple, enunciating very carefully, "Tennis racket and Charlie kept putting the little bright balls under a boomerang charm for him to smack with the rocket. Their opponents were completely thrown and started just trying to dodge the frantic onslaught over fight. Once Charlie realized they were so off guard they weren't going to throw the balls in stasis or use shield charms, transfigured himself a tenny rocket too and joined in. The other side surrendered, pretty rare, normally you go out by the rules."

She smiled at him, not bothering with his little slip and glanced down at the paper. "Sounds exciting and very against the rules."

"They were in the freestyle bracket and they got the idea from Harry at the Triwizard tournament with his broom. Credited him in the dueling publication coverage and all."

Hermione smiled at that, Harry had worked so hard at overcoming his initial block to the summoning charm. It had taken him ages and she smiled each time she saw him casually use it as if he was still practicing. "We don't want Ron and Harry either."

Bill peered as well, frowning, "Oh hell, Mum's dueling. Whatever we do, we do not want to cross wands with her."

Her eyebrows raised and he gave a small chuckle, "Mum was the first female dueling captain Hogwarts had. I've no clue if they brought back dueling club while you were there, but Mum took the captain's wand first day of her fifth year and held it till she left. She got challenged a ton at first, but then Dad said it became a horrible punishment in bets that if you lost you had to try and dewand Molly Prewett and get your ass publicly handed to you. Part of why it took him forever to ask her out." He glanced around again, "Bet Albus didn't want Ginny getting her hands on the captain's wand."

Hermione raised her eyebrows further, she'd always thought Mrs. Weasley was sweet and firm with her children, hadn't ever pictured who she was before them, who she was when they were at school. Her voice had a bit of a scold, "I think Harry would be captain, he did incredible work with the D.A."

Bill clearly didn't agree, "Sure if there was points for niceness. Harry duels with a limited set of non harmful spells. Everyone just thinks Gin's excellent at the bat bogey hex, but really she hits you with it as a distraction then takes you out. Harry plays nice, Ginny doesn't. She's got years of practice on him, Mum didn't make Ginny obey the same rules as the rest of us and somehow every time we tried to exclude Gin, she ended up with Mum's wand. Super embarrassing to have to go back after winter hols with my hair hexed into a glittery mess, had to beg Charlie to say he did it so I didn't have to explain I was attacked by five year old vindictive little monster." He dropped a wink, "I don't play nice either. Where do you fall?"

She thought about it, she wasn't particularly sure. Yes, as she'd been hexed down by Dolohov in the frantic battle at the Ministry after Ginny had been protecting her, rabidly throwing hexes, hurt her ankle in her efforts to deflect Dolohov's first attempt at Hermione herself. Had stumbled on it as she tried to orbit everyone, taunted with filthy insults to draw attention away from Luna and Neville, trying to manage post brain attack Ron into the next chamber. It was a strange thing, how memories crystallized over time and replaying them gave you a new angle. She gave the only answer she could, "I'm not sure." She paused, there was some certainty, "I'll never duel to kill."

Bill nodded, but there was a heaviness in his eyes as he glanced away, eyes hardening, "I hope you'll never be in a situation that questions that."

Her responding swallow seemed incredibly loud in the suddenly silent field, no birds chirping. Bill glanced back at her and gave a half smile, "I haven't killed anyone, if that's what you're wondering. Or not that I know of anyway, but Hermione, when you're Order there are very tight spots and close calls on missions. It's not just the killing curse that does it and you don't know what your partner is throwing or if you'll both hit true."

She gave him what she hoped was a reassuring look, one that didn't judge, that showed her opinion of him wouldn't change either way. She also knew from her horcrux research that there was a difference between intentional murder needed to make them and taking a life in battle. Neither caster came out unaffected, but neither came out for the better. Her voice was heavy and determined, "I know that. That's why we're doing this dueling tournament, why we're for all intents and purposes training for battle."

He nodded in agreement, "We'll see how Charlie and Minerva's quidditch based battle theory plays out in capture the flag. I know I'm tagged as a chaser on Charlie's team, any preference on position for you?"

She shook her head, Charlie had in a slightly disjointed fashion explained how he thought groups could battle effectively based on quidditch roles, arguing passionately that having a defined role over dueling whoever you came across was much more logical. You had three chasers dueling purely offensive in a protective triad formation, two beaters who did not engage in single opponent duels, instead smashing around either lending offensive or protective help to other duelists, the keeper in a 'keep 'em alive' role focused almost exclusively on field healing. The seeker was a trickier role in Charlie and McGonagall's plan, seekers for Order missions likely focused on retrieving whatever information they'd been sent for, in a wider battle spread focused on dueling the highest range target, the one that if felled would abruptly end the enemy's forces from fighting. Not being a huge quidditch follower had gotten slightly overwhelmed by Charlie and Bill's rapid talking and diagram flipping, while Harry and Ron had easily followed along. She'd planned on asking Ron for a slower explanation, Viktor's last letter had been very excited about it and she wanted to not embarrass herself in writing back.

Her voice was soft, "I didn't assume I would be placed on a team, figured I'd watch it with Ginny and take notes."

He shook his head, "I know it's driving Gin nuts to not be able to do anything, but how's she doing since Harry's come?"

Hermione made a face at him, not willing to divulge anything Ginny had told her in private and he made a face back. Bill was observant, he knew it was in the 'we're pretending it never happened' stage that was at times, awkward. He tried for cheerful. "She'll be distracted by the tournament, you'll see. Gin used to have terrible crushes on some of the attendees."

She just nodded, Ginny still got a bit shy around Remus from time to time, something that delighted Tonks to no end. Her second year, where large portions of the student body were a bit afraid she would set a monster on them, she had taken strength from the quiet nonjudgmental kindness of Professor Lupin. Hermione had softened Tonks' teasing about it the night before, telling her as a crush, it was a noble one and that it was far better than her own swoons over Lockhart the liar. Of course Tonks had immediately changed targets and teased her about the man in front of her and Ginny had returned the favor in kind, shifting the heat to Ron making fun of how many times he would make a fool out of himself with Fleur around. Ron had not been happy and glowered at her and she did feel slightly bad for it.

"Scratch that, no Ron and Harry!" Bill was swiping at the paper, practically crowing, a glance up, "Harry can't leave The Burrow's wards and we're hosting at Muriel's."

"I thought-"

"No, we don't have it warded yet. Muriel's stubborn as hell about it, keeps insisting that she be the one to do it. She's borderline senile, but Mum tried to take over her care once and she rolled in prim and proper, behaving well enough to fool the healer." Bill shook his head in exasperation. "Have you met Muriel?"

Hermione shook her head and Bill shrugged, "Don't listen to anything she says and don't take it personally if she insults you. She thinks her sweet Charlie is perfect and everyone else can go to hell." He shrugged, "My scars surprise her every time and she decides various reasons how I messed up to get them. When she's not bossing Mum about she's actively campaigning that Ginny is at the age she should be sent to the convent or married off." He paused, "Oh shit, that might be problematic. I hope Muriel hasn't heard the twins, but they go over for lunch on Tuesdays so they can do their laundry."

"What? About this being a tournament to win Ginny's fair hand to try and soften the fact she can't participate?" Hermione queried him in slight confusion, she'd thought about sitting out as well to keep Ginny company, but Ginny had flatly told her to take all of the practice she could get. She glanced around almost guiltily, they tried very much not to discuss things around Ginny, knowing she was very frustrated at being too young to be allowed to help with anything magically. Hermione thought it was incredibly sweet that her brothers, and occasionally other Order members, frequently requested her help in getting ready for any mission that required a disguise. How Bill would sit there and have her cover his scars with makeup saying he wasn't going to have time to bother with refreshing glamours or he wasn't sure what magical safeguards there were. Ginny knew she was being humored, but it always put her in a good mood anyway, so Bill got a lot of fashion advice and foundation thrown on him. She knew Bill secretly liked it too, had mentioned how great it was getting to be closer to Ginny and Ron now that they were grown, who had been so young when he'd gone off to school and so far away when he was in Egypt.

Bill looked thoughtful, "We'll think of something, it'll probably be a Weasley team that wins anyway so it'll be moot. If not, Muriel will hate all of the dragon tamers and not want to subject Ginny to their foul mouths." He winked, "Convent it is for Gin Gin." Then he darkened and glanced at the paper, his timbre deepening as he looked back at her, "Actually we should shove her in a convent. Hermione, a heads up? You'll certainly find yourself on the receiving end of a lot of attention from the dragon boys. There's very few women in the field, Charlie can explain the neurological wavelength and dragon temperament reasons, but if you get uncomfortable just let me know, alright?"

"I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, but thank you." She felt slightly offended, she knew he meant well, but she didn't need a man to take care of her or to run to her problems with. She wasn't fond of when Bill acted like an extremely overprotective brother who didn't think anyone should look at her, or every guy that did had horrible thoughts in mind. She knew part of it was the wolfishness of his blood, had seen his behavior get more territorial and brutish as the lady in the sky became full. She also knew it was something he was actively trying to manage and didn't want to make it any harder than it was. She and Ginny had both been horrible enough to him after he brought them drinks at Oliver Wood's birthday that turned out to be portkeys kicking them back to the Burrow so that they wouldn't be bothered by the boys, who had not been bothering at all. Had apparated them back, still covered in spilled drink, and Ginny grabbed the tray of shots George was carrying and they'd thrown them in Bill's startled face. Poor George had gotten a side show, Angelina profusely apologizing for getting carried away at the excitement saying she'd just always wanted to do it while George laughed and asked if that meant he got to throw his drink at her. She said no. A discussion of drink throwing had broken out that Hermione had very heavily and quite passionately participated in against Bill, until Ron told her if she said one more word he was going to throw his drink at her and she'd turned on him.

He seemed to realize his misstep and held up his hands in apology, "Sorry if that came off the wrong way, I meant it as an offer to talk to Charlie or the ones I know from school to sort the others. They've got a real tight knit culture to them, like to handle things internally and not show any cracks in the ranks at competition. You've seen how often Charlie writes the reserve, how many letters he has waiting when the owl comes."

She felt mollified and nodded, glancing down shifting subjects, "Viktor and Fleur are dueling together?"

"Looks to be. That'll be interesting, they're up against McGonagall and Flitwick first, neither of which should be affected by Fleur's veela side." He grinned, "The draw went amazing, didn't it? We all but have a free first pass."

"Don't get cocky, Bill." She scolded and peered again, true she wasn't entirely sure Mundungus knew what 9 am looked like or if he would be sober, but that could make him unpredictable and Hagrid wasn't particularly strong with spell work due to his truncated and later very spotty education, yet held the imperviousness of giant blood.

"I don't know if I can throw a curse at Hagrid." She confessed. How could she hex her friend? Hagrid had always been there, no matter what she was going through with Harry and Ron, he had been a shoulder to cry on with a friendly word, tea and horrid little cakes. She made a mental note to ask about Grawp and turned to ask if Bill knew about him, but he was talking again.

"We're doing the point system, babe." Bill was still scanning and something in her flipped at babe, "Besides, he's the person you want to practice on, he'll feel it the least and he's a big target."

She opened her mouth to say something, but voices and footsteps were coming their way, "No, Gin, I'm not saying he's right or he's wrong for dumping you. I'm saying it's a sticky wicket and he's trying to handle it the best he can."

"I don't need protecting." Ginny pouted, words pouring out. "It feels like he's telling me to go stand in a corner and wait until he's done at the grownups table, but he's spending all of his time either avoiding me or staring. It's horrible and if Hermione wasn't here I'd just go stay at Muriel's, which tells you how horrible it is."

"We shouldn't listen in." She said softly to Bill who was frowning, and a glance showed Ginny's pen friend holding a branch out of her way, both carrying fruit picking baskets. Bill frowned again and cast a disillusionment charm on them. She hissed at him, "Bill what are you doing?"

"Hoping he'll talk about the tournament so we can figure out what he and Charlie have been working on." She rolled her eyes at his response, at the brain that was on a single track. Well a secondary track, "Hope they're getting blackberries too, it's a blackberry cobbler kind of night."

"Sweetheart, has it occurred to you that he might be trying to protect himself as well? Dating is like dueling, sure there's the footwork, but there's a huge mental component and the last thing you want is leverage over you if you're doing something dangerous. Maybe Harry can't compartmentalize it or can't focus if he's worried about you being a target. So if he can't give you everything you're stuck with nothing."

She wondered where Bill fell and tried to squash the thought, but it kept bubbling up. She knew his relationship with Fleur had been extremely passionate whether they were happy or fighting. She didn't think she was stuck with nothing, but this friendship that flittered her heart for wanting more felt like it at times. Maybe nothing would be easier, she'd tried to force that though, no talking to him, no thinking about him, avoiding him and yet here she was, hiding in the woods with the guy whose letters she used to throw directly in the fire.

Ginny sighed thoughtfully, "Maybe you're right about Harry, he's got a huge noble streak and hasn't really caught a break, you know? Other compartments on the Hogwarts Express home laughed easily, they had exams behind them, but ours always had a bit of different feel. Sure we had exams behind us and we laughed, but Harry and sometimes everyone else had just been through something traumatic and usually highly dangerous."

Bill glanced at her and she nodded in agreement. She had no idea what Bill's rides home had been like, but yes, their compartment had laughs and sometimes rehashing the latest harrowing situation, sometimes forcibly avoiding any mention of it. She thought it was fifth year when she woke embarrassed to find she'd curled against Ron's shoulder and been gently woken as she'd started to mumble in a nightmare. She had admired him highly in that moment, her emotional teaspoon of a best friend, giving an ineloquent, but comforting confession in her ear that he got them too, before loudly chuffing off about the Chudley Cannons to cover her moment of discomposure. She tuned back into the words floating back, realizing she'd missed several exchanges.

"Hope Bill doesn't jump back into crazytown. C ever tell you about the time we had to rescue him because some psycho he was trying to dump was holding him hostage in their snogging spot? Charlie said he's a got a huge thing for someone though, seemed happy about this one." Her heart dropped at those words and she was glad she couldn't see Bill at the moment and he couldn't see her. She wasn't sure if they just moved far enough away or if Bill had hit them with a silencing charm, Ginny's response going into a murmur as they continued their trek towards the orchard trees in season. She felt as if she was standing in the library all over again, insides going cold and ashy. Bill wanted to duel with her to help her, to teach her, not for any other had the being stuck with nothing, the friendly nothing, but the nothing all the same. Bill dated beautiful girls, would probably invite Fleur to stay with him at Shell, she'd seen how friendly they were when they got Harry. Seen him protectively put an arm around her as they told everyone about Mad-Eye, seen him narrow his eyes at her shakiness and settle her into a seat with a gentle gallantry she had fleetingly wished was directed at herself. Then felt stupid because she was already sitting and Kingsley had been very thoughtful in ensuring she was alright.

Her voice was quiet as she rose, "I should go do my chores, your Mum will be wondering why they're not done and Ginny's covered enough for me. She should get a break too."

"Hermione, wait-" She could hear him rising too and he disillusioned so she paused, but he said no more and it drug out, nothing, nothing, nothing. Her heart dropping each extra heartbeat in the silence. She walked away, not entirely sure what she was walking away from, but feeling the ache of it lingering in the air, smothering that small part of forest where the air had been thick with anticipation and now was choked with resounding silence.

She wouldn't know that he'd been hit by a silencing charm thrown at him by a frantic Charlie, needing to have an immediate conversation. Would quietly wonder where he was at dinner and would set herself up to view their dueling partnership as a business environment. Would raise her eyebrows at the fact he wanted matching outfits, taken her tentative suggestion of jerseys and explained about her dad. He'd grinned and the next morning on her bed was a new jersey for her dad's team, Granger emblazoned on the back. Feeling much better about them as they walked to the tournament, hair in matching braids and she saw Charlie in a very snazzy track suit with his name and a dragon shield of arms across the back.

She was out of breath from dancing as she dropped down next to Bill, attentive American dragon tamer at her side. She'd been dancing with Bill when snatched away, dragon tamers teasing that everyone else could dance with girls anytime. She'd laughed, seeing that even with female Order members, there was still a deficit and the wild men who loved their dragons were dancing the jig with each other anyway determined to have a good time. She'd expected a friendly dinner, not for this to turn into a festival feel at the tents they'd popped up, not to have them cry out in dramatic protest as Mrs. Weasley said she'd had enough turns and was calling it a night, then blush like a schoolgirl at her husband's offer of just one more dance.

Bill grabbed her back up, dragon tamer ignored, "Dad asked Ginny to sing Mum's favorite Celestina Warbeck song."

She made a face, but it wasn't Celestina's version, it was Ginny's clear soprano with only a guitar for accompaniment until an easy baritone started to weave the harmony. She leaned into Bill's chest, peering up at him as the soft duet floated around them, the lyrics so completely correct about how the road only led to this person she trembled. His face so close, lips slightly brushing hers, bare pressure just becoming more when the moment was ripped away. "I think you've had enough of a party, to bed with all of you."

Every Gryffindor jumped at the familiar words, to find their current or previous Head of House, with a very bemused smile on her face. "Here for check in. Kingsley?"

Charlie recovered first, bounding at her, parts of the wireless he was trying to fix still in his hands. "Minerva, let me pour you one. Hear about your shift? Get you something to eat?"

Bill giving her a smile swallowing a laugh, the nudging her, where Ginny had not stopped her duet, bent around her guitar playing partner's back, arms resting on his chest, eyes locked. "Only seen a spell like this pulled off once. Doubt they know they're even doing it."

She watched, words soft as he swayed her in perfect time, everything was perfect at the moment, the gentle breeze, the quiet couples around them, almost as if magic was gently weaving through the air. Tonks fingers softly crept up into Remus hair, Bill's parents looking completely smitten, George and Angelina softly kissing as they gently rotated. She still felt discombobulated by the almost kiss and wanted to decry that it could be a spell doing this. "It's just a song, Bill."

"No," His words were husky in her ear, "Hitting the right notes is just like the right wand movement, doesn't work over the wireless though."

Yes, that must be why she felt this way, why his breath had been warm against her lips and why he'd just started to brush hers. He pulled her close and she took back in the perfectness, nudging her head softly against the scars under his shirt, this was what dancing was supposed to be, gentle movements that told her how perfectly she fit into his arms. Time stopped mattering and they twirled sweetly to the duets, until it broke softly, like the tide changing, waves now inching lower on the shore line. She blinked and was grabbed by one of the guys from the Texas reserve to learn something called two stepping. The night rushed by, Bill grabbing her back for some spur of the moment dueling team piggy back race. They took off, watched Ginny decide she wasn't going to be left out, chasing after and almost choking Charlie as she jumped on him and Charlie's carrier being flung face first into the ground at the unexpected impact. Bill had no intention of stopping, yelling at him instead, "Yay Ginny! Eat our dust, freckle face."

She got very giggly and proud as she helped Bill collect their winnings and listened to him bluster and talk trash, tucked under his arm, sipping from her cup while she cheerfully tallied their goods. Bill tucking the winnings into her pocket and she was about to protest, as all she had done was ride on his back, his words hot in her ear, stilling her in her tracks. "Might need that on the lamb, love."

"Thank you." She went over to Harry and Ron, excitedly whispering the news at them, discreetly tucking the small winnings into her little beaded bag. She'd taken out her savings, but even this, this would help.

"Having fun?" She queried.

"No." Both had sourpuss looks on their faces, "Might go back early, since everything is for dueling teams only."

"Ron you could still get a partner." Harry sounded equally as sour, not even paying attention to the conversation, eyes glued over at Ginny. She decided to be elsewhere, if they wanted to go to bed early fine, she was having fun and if it was the first and only time she outlasted them at a party, well it might be her last chance to do so. She left them to their sulking and went back by the fire, an American arm immediately going around her, Bill hadn't been kidding, the dragon boys were like glue. Ginny had become their instant darling, to her glee at being preferred over Fleur, much to Harry's sulking agitation and Charlie's annoyance. She glanced over at her distinctive laugh, seeing the swarm of her admirers acting as if she was playing duck duck goose with them. "What's she up to now?"

Bill laughed, apparently having been watching for awhile while Fleur frowned. "She's teasing all of them about who's going to get to be her champion and what token she'll give out to her knight in shining armour. Gin's a pro at it." He dropped a wink, "Read her all of the King Arthur stuff when she was wee and she got obsessed. You knew you were her chosen knight of the day if you woke up with her little stuffed lamb."

Hermione's American was not to be forgotten, arm lightly squeezing her and offering her some of the treat he was melting over the bonfire they were around, "That girl who can change her looks is calling her Ginnyvere, they're very amused by it." Bill rolled his eyes, but Hermione smiled yes, that was a very Tonks and Ginny thing to occur, "Never saw a lamb until the reserve, use them as food. This sort of reminds me of summer camp as a kid, ever been non maj camping? It's quite different."

"Yeah, my dad loves it. I'm muggleborn." She told him, eyeing for the reaction, she was proud about it, but it definitely still got under her skin when people were awful over it.

"Same. Well half blood really, but my Mom never told my Dad about any of the weird stuff happening at school so he thought I was a squib so they never told me. Think he was more shocked than I was when admission came." He laughed and she tuned in, she could talk to Bill anytime.

This was someone from somewhere else, that knew all of the little things she had questions on from her books. "How do they do it? Admissions, I mean. A professor came to explain to my family, but magical families just gets letters by owl."

"Save me!" His answer was cut off by Ginny squeals as she fled a tickle attack and flung herself into Oliver Wood's lap seeking refuge. Hermione was going to have to go over there for Harry's sake, make sure Ginny wasn't doing this to make him jealous. She didn't think she was, probably just hyper at all of the attention, had spent most of her evening physically hanging onto Charlie's dueling partner in various fashions. Until as of that day single Oliver Wood showed up, a longtime crush of theirs. The receiving champion of whatever token she was going to bestow now having a true challenger. "It's sad, isn't it? Alicia and Oliver. They were together since Hogwarts."

"Likely just a bash up over her family wanting a formal courtship." Bill said lightly. "Stubborn as a mule about it on our shift last week, all boils down to ensuring no squibs. They'll manage their way back together if Gin keeps her nose out of it."

She lightly answered the American's question of who Oliver was, thinking she really did need to ask his name when Viktor dropped down at her feet in excitement, tugging at her hand, not relinquishing it. "Look! Ve vill see famous Hogwarts duel."

Bill sighed, Charlie was being very loud and very fake in his attempts to play it down. She had the sudden thought that she might need Ginny to come rescue her and that her mother would most definitely frown that she had three different boys all trying to stake some sort of claim. Bill's voice laughing, as he put an arm around her shoulders. "He's about to ask for volunteers, don't go, but watch closely and watch me."

She looked over at him, he winked, "Apparition isn't for getting you places, it's for getting you out of trouble. You can't hit what's not there, I'll use the micro apparition technique. Bet you I'm the only one who comes out without purple hair."

"What are we betting?" She asked boldly, perhaps more firewhiskey than she should have partaken in fueling the words as Ginny came over, shooing the American away to be a volunteer.

Bill was smoldering at her and she thought he said a kiss, but it was swallowed by Ginny's excited yammering. "He said fifth year Charlie challenged all of the Slytherin's quidditch team to a duel, he went as his second and they had all of them down in a trice. Bill, is that true?"

"By the time I went running to try and save Charlie's competitive ass it was done, Gin. Somehow still managed to get in quite a bit of trouble for it." He glanced at Hermione, "Head boy at the time."

Fred had come to gather volunteers and gave a cheeky smile, "Mum thought that meant Bill should be able to anticipate and stop Charlie and us from, quite frankly, becoming legends of quidditch and mischief." He yanked Bill up, yanked Viktor, "Real sad day when you graduated, bro. Then we could no longer throw you under the bus by saying we'd told you about it, redirecting Mum's fury."

Ginny was still bouncing excitedly and a glance showed Harry, polyjuiced as a Weasley cousin to hide him from the suspected Order spy amongst the dragon tamers, did not look pleased with the fact Ginny had been very cozy with his former captain. Tonks came over and settled down next to her, Hermione was surprised she hadn't volunteered. "It is true fair Ginnyvere, it was inside a minute, saw it myself. You'll love this trick, maybe not as much as Charlie loves showing it off, but it's pretty neat. Always tell him, worse comes to worst they can just go join the circus and do it."

Ginny still intense as she eyed her leg, "If he's not making this up, I think my anklet will make a nice token, should fit his wrist."

"Ginny, you love that anklet." Hermione started, for she did. Ginny thought her little snitch, bludger, broomstick and quaffle anklet was the coolest thing anyone could ever have. Ginny was waving her protests aside and as she started again, saying something about him giving it back, but Charlie was motioning for attention.

"We have 13 brave volunteers who think they shall survive the next minute. They won't, but don't fret, my friends, this is a mere friendly preview." He nodded seriously and opened his mouth to go on ramping it up.

Tonks was snickering, throwing out her voice, "Stop being a blow hard, C, and get to it."

"You just want to do the countdown, Dora." Charlie threw back. "Very well, you're in charge. At the ready?"

Charlie backed fairly far away from his hulking dueling partner Ginny was so fond of. In her battle experience, she had no way encountered what happened at the end of the countdown. Ralph threw a shield charm and started twisting as Charlie took him at a sprint, jumping at him arms outstretched. Charlie's non wand arm was caught mid twist and Charlie went spinning off in a new airborne trajectory with a battle cry as if he was a discus or portkey, his partner throwing himself sideways into a horizontal roll. Purple was exploding onto everyone's heads and ropes catching the feet. She was too busy watching the acrobatics to watch Bill like he'd asked. Hermione had no words and looked to Ginny, to find her grinning as if she'd done it herself. By the time Charlie hovered down to the ground at a light mocking run, everything was purple and the front row of people were on the ground from the ropes.

Bill came back over as Ginny rushed off to the crowing team, to bestow her token and continue her rampant crushing and flirting. He raised an eyebrow, she felt a rush of disappointment that the very tip of his ponytail was purple. "Got you, huh?"

He nodded, "My hair flung out as I twisted. You're all wet."

"Ginny threw her drink everywhere in excitement." She explained, deciding with a glance it was definitely Ginny and not herself as she was soaked and very clearly at a point where she should have no more firewhiskey. Ginny hooted up at her companion, arms still wrapped around his waist and Hermione's cup had of course, been at that point before. An honest confession came pouring out. "I don't want to duel them. I don't want Charlie thrown at me, just hexes and jinx."

"Nobody wants that." Tonks cracked up as she too went off to offer her congratulations and pull up her purple haired husband, hair popping to match his new shade.

Bill dropped down next to her, arm going around, reassuring kiss popped in her hair. "Why they do it, pet. It's an intimidation technique, just like Voldemort flying without a broom when we got Harry. If you let it, it will get in your head and scare the living dickens out of you." Another light kiss into her curls, "They've retired the move to just entertainment purposes now. Well and quidditch, which is what Charlie designed it for, rapid, dual player boomerang. A secret, partner? They would have been crushed in a real duel with Slytherin, but surprise won it. When the legendary duel happened they'd just been drilling the quidditch move so much that when Charlie got flung at Robinson by a bunked curse, he just automatically threw him and went sideways himself mid rope hex." He paused, "Guess I did deserve Mum mad at me, threw them the most insane common room party when they got out of the hospital wing."

She still didn't want anyone to throw Charlie at her, or to have to learn how to be thrown herself. She knew she should motion for Harry and Ron to come over, but didn't want to deal with their moods with Bill's happy, cozy one. "Let's talk about this apparition technique, I've read about-"

There was a hard pull behind her navel and they twisted, a few inches, Bill's wand flashed, another twist, another wand flash, another and another. Then it stopped, they were back on the same log and Ginny's hair was colored like a rainbow, her never ending hugging companion's arm also newly shaded. Bill grinned at her, "Showing is more fun than telling." He threw out his voice, "Thanks for being the demo, Gin! Want me to undo it?"

Ginny it appeared had decided to zero in on teasing her newly declared champion who had not protected her and instead was just laughing at her. "Bill, did you learn things like that in N.E.W.T.s?"

He shook his head, "I think I had a slightly better run of Defense Against the Dark Arts professors than you lot, it was almost entirely practical education. Though I learned a lot from Mum and Dad, our uncles too before they got blasted. They would have loved something like this. Dad once said they loved more than anything to make Mum and us laugh, it made Mum and Muriel cry."

He looked down into his firewhiskey and gave her a half smile to show he was alright, dragging her up by the hand, "C'mon. Haven't thought of this in years, wonder if it's still there. I'll show you some of the spells Uncle Fab taught me."

"You wouldn't have had a wand?" She said it in confusion and he nodded, pausing to refill both of their cups.

"We have a hidden one and if the Burrow got attacked and Mum went down, I was to take her wand and be defensive until Charlie got the youngers flooed out or help came." Bill paused at her horrified look, "We were known Order allies even then, Ministry had advised all families to make evacuation plans, so we were more thorough than most."

Hermione nodded and it sunk it for a moment that most of the people laughing around that fire had feared You-Know-Who their entire lives, had almost all been born during the rise or First War. She had too, she hadn't known it of course, but the man next to her had no memories of not knowing what the Dark Mark above a house meant. She patted her beaded bag for reassurance, tried to shake off the levity and froze at the rustling nearby. Heard Tonks familiar voice, "Just a small prank, Remmy. We've got to show them we're going to win!"

Bill laughed almost soundlessly in her ear and they turned around, a soft tomorrow muttered and went back to the bonfire to find the girls were getting to be captains for a game of riddles. She picked Bill, found Harry and Ron indeed had left, loyally grabbed Viktor despite the language difficulty, settled for Lee Jordan, who exceeded all expectations and was shockingly excellent, and her loyal dragon tamer, who too would ask for a token of her affection. Bill would tell him that went to her dueling partner, an edge running under the light words that made the fire seem suddenly a lot warmer against her skin.

When she crawled into the unfamiliar large bed at Muriel's that night, nerves still eating at her, voices would come as the door peeked open and she pretended to be asleep. A whisper, "Alright, jacket and belongings back, you little magpie. Need my good luck charms."

Ginny not quiet at all as they debated what token she got, a glance coming her way as they moved back into the hall. "How about a tip for your friend's first tourney? Bill talked a lot of smack tonight, got Charlie hot under the collar. Tell her to stay far back if they come across us. Pretty sure Bill threw a huge target on their back with most reserve teams."

Ginny's voice got even louder and more anxious, "What I helped you practice?" A pause, "No! Promise me you won't! Promise me you won't let Charlie either! She's only just learned to swim this summer. Promise!"

Anxiety and nerves doubled, somebody was going to try and drown them and then probably throw Charlie at her to toss lightning at her or something. The male voice got louder in assurance and the light sounds of Ginny's distress died away, "Damn, didn't know that. We won't. Yes, I promise! I'll just drown Wood or those Swedes instead. Kidding, stop whacking me and go to bed princess, you've got a busy day ahead of you."

She laid there thinking they were going to get smashed as Ginny joined her, crawling in. She was still brimming with excitement, voice a whisper, despite the fact she was kicking to make sure Hermione was awake or about to be. "Oliver just tried to snog me, twice, but Ralph completely ruined it." A pause, "Then we got him to make us toasted cheeses and Oliver tried again and he ruined it again, told him he was drunk and had to go home now, but Oliver Wood tried! Was all nuzzled up against my ear and he tried!"

Hermione smiled into the dark watching Ginny shove her fist in the air with someone's watch clattering down to her elbow as if she'd just won something. She too felt like this was a shared triumph at the interaction with one of the first boys they'd giggled over and opted to shove her own fist up. "Excellent, Ginny!"

There was a few beats of silence, "I sort of kissed Ralph too, well almost kissed, borderline kissed when we fell practicing the new dueling move. Felt like there might have been more, but his mouth was bloody from where I'd not jumped in time."

"I sort of kissed Bill." Hermione too confessed and rolled towards her to start sorting out the various definitions and levels of kissing that had, or had not occurred. They decided that situation and intention were very important in determining kissing status and that Ginny had to downgrade to accidental lip brushing with heady eye contact and heavy breathing after, but that both of those things could possibly be attributed to the botched attempt at turning Ginny into an acrobat. While Hermione and Bill ranked a borderline kiss. Eye contact, intention and no pulling away all intact, sheer interruption blamed on McGonagall. They decided she had a Mrs. Norris like sense on these things, did not mean to do it outside of Hogwarts, but could not help it.

"What if it's awkward now?" She asked Ginny in worried insecurity, trying to tug just a bit more of the covers her way to ensure she would not wake up cold because Ginny had stolen all of them.

"Why? You two weren't awkward after, were you?" Ginny was firm, tugging a bit back. "It'll only be awkward if you let it, just give him a big kiss for good luck."

She tried to internalize it, turning off the part of her brain that was imagining talking to Ron and Harry about it and couldn't help, but laugh at their answers in her head. Ron would scratch his head and uncomfortably say 'Yeah, it'll be awkward' and Harry would adjust his glasses and say 'Probably, but maybe not?' in an encouraging fashion. Not that she would ever talk to them about it, especially not Ron, things were so confusing there. She knew how she felt about Bill, also knew Bill was settling into his new condition and that it was confusing and physically overwhelming for him. Tonks had noticed him trying to boss her about and been extremely sympathetic, offered to lend her a book on the subject. Yet she didn't know how she felt about Ron, how she could even allow herself to feel things if they were going to be in such close quarters. She shoved it away, "You don't think it'll be awkward for you tomorrow, Ginny?"

A contemplative silence, "Doubt Oliver will even remember, too thrashed to floo properly. Fred yanked him back, no clue what he was trying to say or where he would end up as a result." Another soft silence ringed with anxiety, "Was it just that guy's face or was Harry upset? I wasn't doing it on purpose, I just…it's like a moth to the flame."

Hermione's teasing comment stilled in her mouth at Ginny's earnestness. She tried to soften the anxious look on Ginny's face. "I'll tell Harry that the duet part was because of the accidental love song magic, not like he can be upset at that. Probably lingered on the two of you and you know Harry's sulking because he can't even come watch."

"Bet he sneaks anyway with the cloak." Ginny rolled towards her, meeting her eyes, before dropping her own, "I know it's stupid sounding, but he sees me, sees right through me, always has. When I had-" she cut herself off abruptly. "Always answered every letter I wrote, mattered a lot for a bit there. Anyway, always loved that about him, that well, it's impossible to feel like you're invisible around him, because he won't let you. Sort of how anyone who says hi to Harry, he says hi back, knows their names, their years, their houses even if they hated him at one point, you know?"

Yes, she did know, it was a trait she admired in Bill, in most of the Weasley family, the inherent underlying kindness. The way when she'd gone to get her savings out of Gringotts with him he'd spoken to the goblins as equals, paused to say hi to everyone who approached and answer questions about his recovery, even though she knew it drove him mad to repeat himself so often while being stared at. He'd been that way before though, it wasn't scars on his face that changed him, had admired it when she watched him spy an older witch at the World Cup and go over to offer to carry her water buckets. Had admired it more when he came back with loads more buckets and gave her a wink from the back of the line for the spicket, Harry and Ron talking like maniacs about the upcoming match.

As Ginny fell asleep she laid there looking back on the previous years with a new light. Yes, Bill had known about her crush, but she was hard put to recall a time when he had ignored her. The quiet asides, always making sure he said hi to her, even if it was just wishes through a letter to Ginny or Ron. It was more than innate kindness or politely humoring her, it was what Ginny had said. Bill had seen her, perhaps seen into her. She'd once thought she'd had seen her heart shattered like glass across a library floor and now, drifting off with the feel of his lips beginning to press into hers in the borderline kiss thought that perhaps those little imaginary shards looked more like diamonds. She dreamed of him, of the huge smile he would give her when they won, of the wink that would drop as he blasted a wind tunnel from his wand to beat the flying flung Charlie. She dreamed of dancing with him, sand under her toes, head tucked against the base of his throat, waves crashing over the music.

Ginny would shake her awake from her first hangover, shove a potion at her and point at the juice. The juice was amazingly refreshing, best thing she had ever sipped in the morning. She'd get ready and go down to breakfast, too nervous to eat anything or talk to Bill, let alone duel with him and see that Ginny was, with zero awkwardness, topping off a terrible looking Oliver Wood's juice and tea with her pitchers. She sat, Ginny poured her some with an encouraging squeeze, "Bet on you, better win."

"Not on me?" Someone decried in outrage.

"You're testing out too many new moves. Good luck kiss and a token it is for you." Ginny softened her words with a peck to the cheek and a pour from her wonderful, life giving juice pitcher, continuing to act like a chicken pecking various folk as she gave them the life juice. She'd later find out while Ginny would offer one and all juice, she was forcing it on her favorites, because she had mixed in hangover, nutrient and alertness potions in with the fruity beverage. She would too find that when Hagrid's aimed hex at Bill came her way, she couldn't quite hex him, but she could use Bill as a shield to rapidly transfigure a net and throw a spell to pin him down with it. Something both Hagrid and Bill would be very proud of her for, heaping on compliments and building up the confidence that stayed as other duelists stopped by to comment on the game ending move. She would blush madly when Oliver Wood told her he thought it was more impressive than Charlie's hydromage work since dragon tamers worked with fire, very loudly so the opponents who eliminated his team could hear that he was not impressed with almost getting drowned. He really did look quite nice soaking wet.

Even when she and Bill got eliminated by an extremely gruff old man with a very distracting goat as his partner, who seemed to jump at the right time to eat the spells thrown defensively. While Hermione would be startled by the goat, that man would someday help save her life. Bill would blame their semi-final loss on getting nerves at the other goats he was convinced were booing him and she would tell him she'd never interacted with magical livestock and too been intimidated. When Ron would have the locket on, he would often point out the fact Hermione was such a bad duelist she couldn't even beat a goat and when she would have the locket have thoughts that someday she would find that old man, get a baby goat from him and it was going to set Ron straight. When Harry had the locket he had no opinions on goats, other than he wanted to never hear of them again or see any and everyone needed to shut the bloody hell up about magical goats.

When she would later lay in a tent listening to Ron and Harry snore, she would think of the happy night and hope that someday she would get to tell Bill he'd likely saved their lives with those few words on apparition. She'd have no clue Bill too was lying awake, wondering where the hell they were and hoping very badly that she was fine. She too would look back on it fondly in later years, wondering just how many lives that tournament saved in the final battle, for the Order. For Dumbledore's Army, for Ginny had declined to participate as a healer in the capture the flag event on McGonagall's team as nothing harmful was being thrown, wanting to watch how effective it was and used her quidditch meetings with McGonagall to talk more than one type of training she would sit on the beach at Shell, swallowing down nightmares, Bill would remind her of the night, talk to her of how he too had requested a song from Ginny and horrify her out of the shakes by teasing that he was going to make her sing with him at karaoke. Or softly tuck her into his arms, hold her and sing it softly in her ear all the same, telling her to watch the waves, drink her potion and eat her biscuit.

She was near Harry, excitedly telling him about how it had gone in the cheery festival like closing night back at the Burrow after team capture the flag dueling. Tonks and Remus were just standing up and calling for attention when it happened, when wards broke and brooms could be heard swooshing in. They went for Ron, running, wands out and she met Bill's ocean blue eyes, suddenly smashing along beside her, throwing shield after shield charm. Voice more intense than she'd ever heard. "Go and don't come back."

He threw an aerial charm and turned to duel, twisting in the micro-apparition skill he'd taught to her, she caught Ron and too twisted. Twisted into muggle London, into another trap, into a house where they would finally have news that everyone was okay and her heart could relax.

She'd find things later in the beaded bag she and Ron had packed and unpacked, things neither of them had put in. Extra tea, flashlights, candles, novels, references books she knew she had returned to Bill, hoards of chocolate, a massive packet of extra money in seven currencies she wouldn't find until she finally truly unpacked it at Shell Cottage. Their eldest daughter would be the one to find the long forgotten good luck, scratched out quasi love note Bill had thought he'd thrown away, but accidentally tucked in a book instead and go ask dad. He'd give it to her on the anniversary of her twisting them away, but it would be framed and she would be more possessive than a goblin over it.

Everything hurt, every atom in her body hurt and she couldn't control it, so she tried to focus on the concerned man holding her. His hair was brushing her setting nerves on fire, his light eyes meeting hers, grip soft as he assured her that she was safe, narrating what he was doing as she had ghostlike twitches in his arms. He was strong when she could not be and she would never quite be able to truly tell him what that calmness meant to her in those first few frantic hours after their abrupt appearance on the beach of Shell Cottage.

A/N: That's a wrap folks! Would love your thoughts, didn't mean for the dueling tournament to happen, couldn't sleep, thought it was something they might have done and ran with it.