Just like Brothers

Chapter 93

"Ready?" Harry asked as Ginny came down the staircase that led to her dorm.

"Yeah," Ginny smiled, "where's Ron and Hermione?"

"Ron has to finish his charms paper and Hermione's helping him," Harry said, "I think he's almost done, though so they shouldn't be too far behind, we'll meet them there."

"We can wait for them...if you want to." Ginny said quickly.

"Do you want to?" Harry shifted on his feet awkwardly.

"Well, they are perfectly capable of walking by themselves..." Ginny looked at her shoes.

"Yeah!" Harry said too loudly, "sorry, er, yeah, definitely."

"So we can go and meet them there," Ginny concluded.

"Yes," Harry agreed, "let's go, then," he gestured to the portrait hole, letting Ginny go before him.

"Draco still on you about the task?" Ginny asked.

Harry nodded, forgetting that she couldn't see him, "yeah," he cleared his throat, "he's making me swim laps in the lake every morning, bloody freezing, it's ridiculous."

"I think it's sweet," Ginny said, "he doesn't want you to get hurt, you have to admit, you aren't the strongest swimmer."

"Yeah, but I'll have fins," he argued, "that's ought to make it easier, I would think."

"It might make it harder," Ginny said simply, "it's not like you've ever had fins before."

"You're right," Harry sighed, "but I'll be fine, somehow it always works out."

They pulled their scarves tighter around their necks as they left the castle, starting on the snow-covered path to Hogsmeade.

"Hey, Harry!" Ginny called.

Harry spun around and was pelted in the face with a snowball.

He spluttered, the cold making his teeth chatter through a grin.

"Oh, you're on," he said, scooping an armful of snow.

"Harry!" Ginny laughed as the snow landed on her head.

They threw snowballs back in forth at each other until...

"Argh!"

A particularly large snowball hit Filch square in the face.

He dropped his list of students with permission and spluttered.

"You!" He glared daggers at Harry and Ginny, "you two menaces...oh, I've oughta!"

"Run!" Ginny gasped through her giggles.

She laced her fingers with Harry's and pulled him along the path to the village, Filch swearing at them as they went.

"That was so much fun," Ginny breathed, slowing to a walk just as they reached the stretch of shops.

"His face!!" Harry beamed, "did you see the look on his face?"

Ginny laughed louder, nearly in hysterics, drawing some curious looks their way.

"Come on," Harry grinned as he noticed their hands were still together, "let's go get a Butterbeer."

The warmth of the Three Broomsticks was a welcomed change from the icy air and snow.

Harry and Ginny slid into a booth, taking off their jackets, hats, scarves, and gloves, blowing on their hands To warm them up.

"What can I get for you dears?" Madam Rosmerta took the pen tucked behind her ear, clicking it on her notepad.

"Two Butterbeers and some chips, please," Harry said.

"Coming right up," She smiled, whisking away to another table.

"How's was swimming this morning?" Ginny asked with a smirk.

Harry gave her a pointed look, "bloody freezing."

"I'd reckon," Ginny laughed.

"Froze my arse off," Harry said bitterly, "Draco only let me go inside when I had turned entirely blue, we were out there for nearly two hours."

Ginny shivered, "I'm glad I'm not you."

"My hair was coated in ice," Harry pouted, "it was so cold."

"Well here's a Butterbeer," Ginny said, taking them off Madam Rosmerta's tray, "it'll warm you right up."

"Your chips will be out in a minute," Rosmerta smiled at the pair.

"Thanks," they echoed, taking big sips of their drinks.

"I love Butterbeer," Ginny sighed happily, "if I could only drink one thing for the rest of my life, it would be Butterbeer."

"Wouldn't water be more practical?" Harry mused.

"Hush," Ginny shushed him, "I wasn't talking about practicality, I was saying that Butterbeer is the superior drink."

"I don't know," Harry said, "I don't think I'd be able to decide between Butterbeer and Pumpkin Juice."

"I don't understand why you like pumpkin juice so much," Ginny said, "come to think of it, you like anything with pumpkin in it."

"Pumpkin Pastries are great," Harry agreed.

Ginny's face screwed up, "I haven't been able to eat those since Fred and George made bugs come out of mine when I was ten."

Harry stared at her, a horrified expression on his face, "what?"

Ginny grimaced, "traumatizing," she said, "it was my favorite dessert, I bit into it and bugs came out."

"How'd they even manage that?"

Ginny shook her head, "I still don't know."

Harry snorted and Ginny put her head on the table, her laughs echoing in the room.

"Harry!"

Two men slid into Harry's side of the booth, smushing him up against the wall.

"Remus, Sirius," Harry groaned, trying to wiggle himself some more room.

"We've been looking for you all over!" Sirius ruffled his hair, "I have half the mind to think you didn't want us to find you!"

"Hi, Ginny," Remus greeted, acknowledging the girl across the table.

"Hi," Ginny laughed.

"Ginevra Weasley!" Sirius gasped, "I didn't see you there! Remember when she threw up on you, huh, Rem?"

Ginny's face turned red, "huh?"

"You," Sirius pointed at Ginny, "had this habit when you were a baby, whenever Remus picked you up, you threw up all over him, didn't matter what you had ate."

The two teens looked at Remus for confirmation.

Remus, who was fighting a grin, nodded, "it smelled so bad," he cringed.

Harry howled with laughter, Ginny sat, very red in the face.

"Hey!" Sirius turned to Harry, "don't be laughing now, you, Harry, used to fling your diapers at anyone in a two foot radius."

"Remember when it exploded on Marlene's white dress," Remus laughed, "Harry you should've seen her face."

"I'd reckon we have a photo of it somewhere," Sirius said, "oh, it was so funny, Harry, if you weren't so cute, she would've killed you."

"Hah! That's worse!" Ginny laughed.

"Oh! He once hit Ron in the face with one!" Remus remembered, "Ron screamed for hours, it got in his mouth."

"Ok!" Harry yelled, "ok! No more! I was one!"

"Ok, ok," Sirius smiled, "we're just teasing."

"Here are your chips," Madam Rosmerta put the plate on the table.

"Rosie!" Sirius squealed.

"Oh, Merlin, not you two again."