NOVEL NEXT Chapter 6: Ron's Jealously
"It just so happens, Ron, that a friend sent me a letter, and I was just sending a reply back," Ginny replied coldly as she slammed her window shut. As happy as she had been to hear from Harry, her earlier anger directed at her dear brother was not forgotten.
"Well it couldn't have been Dean. I know for a fact that Dean doesn't have a white owl. Come to think of it," Ron pondered aloud as he leaned against the wall in her doorway, "the only person I've seen at Hogwarts ever using a white owl is Harry…"
"Yes, well I've got to go ask Mum for something." Ginny left Ron's unasked question unanswered as she grabbed the potions list and galleons that Harry had sent and marched past Ron out the door and down the stairs leaving her brother standing in the doorway still trying to figure out what was going on.
She found her mum sitting in the living room, knitting needles fervently working beside her as she paged through the latest issue of Witch Weekly. Her dad was on the couch next to her mum looking at what Ginny could only assume was a muggle object of some sort. "Mum, Harry sent me a letter and wanted to know if you could pick up these things for him from the apothecary," Ginny explained, handing over the list and galleons. "He said he wants to be ready for Snape this year; he's pretty hopeful about getting into his NEWT class, I guess. He said he could send more money if it ends up costing more than what he sent."
"Since when did Harry start writing to you?" Ron questioned venomously from the bottom of the stairs where he'd obviously been eavesdropping.
Hoping to head off a row before one started, Mrs. Weasley quickly interjected, "Of course, dear. I needed to run out to Diagon Alley this week any way. Shall I have the apothecary owl these to Harry? Or were you planning on sending them to him?"
Distracted from Ron's scathing gaze, Ginny turned back and responded to her mum, "If what he sent will cover the cost for delivery, then sure; otherwise I'll just send them back with Hedwig the next time Harry sends her here."
Ginny turned back towards the stairs to find Ron scowling in her direction. She flipped her hair back and strode up the stairs decidedly ignoring her brother. As she entered her room and sent the door closed, it immediately flew back open as Ron once again entered her doorway uninvited.
"Well?" He demanded loudly.
"Well what?" Ginny asked innocently as she turned to face him, twirling a tendril of her hair around her finger..
"You know exactly what!" Ron exclaimed, throwing his arms above his head. "Since when are you getting owls from Harry?"
"You know very well that I have never got an owl from Harry before, you great prat. Harry wrote me a letter today, and I sent him one back. It's something that friends often do when they spend time apart. And if you weren't such a git, he probably would have written to you instead, so don't go taking your anger out on me." Ginny replied as calmly as she could manage. She turned her back to Ron and strode to her windowsill, where she gazed out at the starry night sky.
Ron sputtered for a moment before biting back. "And just what the bloody hell is that supposed to mean? I'm Harry's best friend. Hedwig probably just couldn't find me, so she dropped off that list of potions Harry needed with you instead," Ron worked out logically.
"Oh, brilliant deduction Ron" Ginny managed through a laugh as she spun around to face him again, "except for the part where my name was on the envelope, not to mention the nice long letter that, sure enough, started with the words: 'Dear Ginny.'"
"But that doesn't make any sense," Ron maintained. "Harry will still be depressed after what happened… won't talk to anyone for a good week I imagine. I expect he hasn't even read the letters we've sent him yet. It's the reason I didn't want to include your letter with my post. I figured we'd wait until I heard back from him before giving the okay for anyone else to write to him. So why would he just up and write to you… and not even respond to my letter?"
"Well you seem to have vastly underestimated your 'best friend,' and you'll find that he doesn't appreciate your presumptiveness. He didn't seem terribly pleased with the letter you sent to him from the sound of it." Ginny replied casually, starting to enjoy the conversation. After being in a similar situation the past few years, having to hear everything about Harry secondhand, it felt good to be in Ron's shoes and he in hers for once.
Ron looked thoroughly confused at this point. He scratched his head for a moment trying to work out that little twist of fate before asking, "What do you mean?"
Ginny thought about whether or not she should reply. Would Harry want her telling Ron what he'd said in his letter? Well, he had sounded like he'd wanted to send a message to Ron, and knowing how thick Ron could be, Ginny figured he'd never put two and two together on his own. She didn't think Harry would mind too much at any rate. "Oh just something he mentioned about not needing another minder and how he hates it when people constantly tiptoe around him," Ginny finally replied.
Ron's mouth opened and closed a few times reminding Ginny of a goldfish. He looked as though he was trying to come up with a reply, but in the end he just shook his head and walked somewhat dejectedly out of her room.
Ginny changed into her night gown and decided to curl up with a book in bed. It had been quite an interesting day, to say the least. She doubted she'd be able to sleep any time soon even if she tried. There was just too much to think about. She didn't end up getting much reading done, nor did she fall asleep any time soon.