Secret Love

Chapter 21: The First Real Test

The days that followed their visit to Dumbledore's office were busy and full of nervous anticipation for Harry and Ginny. With their marriage now public knowledge, the atmosphere in Hogwarts shifted yet again. The news had spread quickly, and whispers followed them through the corridors, eyes always lingering on the matching wedding bands they now wore openly.

But despite the stares and murmurs, Harry felt an unusual sense of peace. The bond between him and Ginny, now fully understood, gave him a strength that he hadn't anticipated. It was more than love; it was a deep, unbreakable connection that reassured him through everything. Ginny, always by his side, seemed to feel it too, and they both took comfort in that.

However, not everyone was so understanding.

One evening, as Harry and Ginny sat together in the common room, trying to enjoy a quiet moment, Ron approached them. His face was set in a frown, his arms crossed over his chest. The tension in his stance was unmistakable, and Harry could feel the unease brewing in the air.

"Can we talk?" Ron said, his voice clipped. He looked directly at Harry, ignoring Ginny altogether.

Harry glanced at Ginny, who gave him a small nod. "Sure, Ron," he said, standing up.

"Alone," Ron added, his eyes still fixed on Harry.

Ginny narrowed her eyes at her brother. "Whatever you have to say to Harry, you can say in front of me. We're married, remember?"

Ron's jaw tightened, but he didn't argue. "Fine. I just don't get it, Harry. I don't get how you went and married my sister without telling me. Without talking to me about it. You just... what, forgot you had a best friend?"

Harry sighed, running a hand through his hair. He had been expecting this conversation for weeks. "It's not like that, Ron. You know how things happened. It wasn't planned—it was the soulbond. We didn't even know it would make us married until we went to Gringotts."

"That's convenient, isn't it?" Ron snapped, his voice rising. "You didn't tell me because you knew I'd be angry. And you were right. You just... you went behind my back, Harry. I thought we were closer than that."

Ginny stood up, her face flushed with anger. "Ron, stop. It's not like Harry and I had a choice in this! We didn't even know we had a soulbond until after it happened. You can't keep blaming him for something neither of us could control."

Ron looked between the two of them, his frustration clear in his eyes. "I get that you two are... bonded or whatever. But that doesn't change the fact that you're still only fifteen, Ginny. You're my little sister, and now you're married? How am I supposed to just accept that?"

"Maybe by trusting us," Ginny shot back. "By trusting that we know what we're doing."

Ron opened his mouth to argue, but Harry stepped forward, holding up a hand. "Ron, I know this is hard for you to understand. It's hard for us too. We didn't ask for this, but we're making the best of it. And honestly, I'm happy. I love your sister, and that's something I don't take lightly."

The anger in Ron's face wavered for a moment, but he was clearly still grappling with the situation. "You could've told me sooner. That's all I'm saying."

"We didn't know how," Harry admitted. "We didn't even know how to process it ourselves."

There was a long pause as the three of them stood there in the common room, the fire crackling in the hearth the only sound in the room.

Finally, Ron sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know if I'll ever fully be okay with this. But I guess... I guess if anyone's going to be married to my sister, I'd rather it be you, Harry."

Ginny rolled her eyes but smiled, softening at her brother's grudging acceptance. "That's the closest to a blessing we're going to get, isn't it?"

Ron shrugged. "Probably."

Harry couldn't help but smile. "Thanks, Ron."

Ron grumbled something under his breath but nodded. "Just... don't expect me to start calling you brother-in-law or anything."

With that, Ron turned and left the common room, leaving Harry and Ginny standing together, both feeling a strange mix of relief and lingering tension.

"That could've gone worse," Ginny said, exhaling slowly.

Harry nodded, slipping his arm around her waist. "Yeah. He's trying, at least."

Ginny leaned her head against Harry's shoulder, the warmth of his presence soothing her. "He'll come around fully one day. I know he will."

The rest of the evening passed without incident, but the exchange with Ron weighed on Harry's mind. He knew Ron was struggling with the sudden changes in their lives, and part of Harry couldn't blame him. It had all happened so fast. But now that it was out in the open, perhaps things would finally start to settle down.

The next few weeks passed in a blur of classes, homework, and Quidditch practice. Harry and Ginny grew more accustomed to the stares and whispers, ignoring them as best they could. Their relationship, while unusual for their age, had grown even stronger. The soulbond made them feel as though they were never truly apart, even when they were in separate classes or dealing with the demands of daily life at Hogwarts.

But even amidst the calm, the mystery of the writing on their rings lingered in the back of Harry's mind.

One afternoon, as they sat together in the library, Harry pulled out his wand and tapped the ring again, watching as the foreign writing glowed faintly. "I still can't get over this," he murmured, turning the ring over in his hand.

Ginny, sitting across from him, leaned forward to look at the writing once again. "It's beautiful, but strange. I wonder if there's more to it than just the inscription Dumbledore translated."

Harry frowned. "It wouldn't surprise me. There's something about it... I just can't shake the feeling that we haven't uncovered everything yet."

Ginny nodded, her brow furrowed in thought. "Maybe we could try researching more ancient magical languages. I doubt Hogwarts' library has everything, but it's worth a shot."

Harry agreed, though he felt a sense of unease. As much as he wanted answers, part of him feared what they might find. There was something so mysterious and powerful about their bond, something that went beyond anything they had learned so far.

And though they were strong together, Harry couldn't help but wonder what challenges lay ahead—and if their bond would be tested in ways they hadn't yet imagined.

But for now, they had each other. And that, Harry knew, was enough.