Guys Can Be A Gits or They Can be Charming

Ginny found Hermione sprawled across her bed crying as she entered the room. Ginny climbed up on her bed next to her and pulled the curtains closed with her wand. "What happened?" asked Ginny softly.

"Your foul git of a brother, that's what! Why does he have to go and ruin everything?" Hermione asked into her pillow.

"What did my stupid git of a brother do this time?" Ginny asked, rubbing her hand on Hermione's back reassuringly.

"He said I was fraternizing with the enemy! He said I was a traitor to Harry – just because I went to the Yule Ball with Viktor," Hermione said, lifting her head to look at Ginny.

"He's jealous, Hermione! He's being a right awful prat saying these things to you – because he doesn't have half the balls to admit that he likes you! I know he likes you! Even Fred and George know – I think... but Ron is really a thick head at best." Ginny was actually rather upset at her brother for hurting her friend this way. Maybe I WILL ask Fred and George to pull a good one on him. It would serve him right.

"I don't even know why I let him bother me so much," Hermione groaned, rolling onto her side to see Ginny better.

"My brother is really dense when it comes to girls. I do honestly believe he is absolutely clueless," Ginny said empathically. Hermione finally smiled and wiped her eyes.

"You know I was hoping your brother would ask me. But he didn't... Well, not until he was desperate, that is." Hermione shook her head. "It was like he had just caught on I was even a girl! He had the audacity to say, 'Neville's right, you are a girl!' I wanted to..."

"I know! Right after Ron finally asked you to go with him, he had the nerve to suggest I go with Harry, so that they wouldn't look like stupid prats – because they still didn't have partners!" Ginny stated angrily, and Hermione looked at her surprised. "You had just walked away from Ron to go up to your room – right after he finally figured out that he could ask you... Ron suggested that I should go with Harry. But Harry never asked me to go with him. Ron suggested that I go as Harry's last resort... as a – a consolation. Made me upset too, because I had really wanted to go with Harry. But I got some really good advice from Fred and George."

"What?" Hermione asked in disbelief.

Ginny supposed that either Hermione had never considered that Ron would do that to her, or that Fred and George were actually capable of giving advice... Jokes, kidding and taunting definitely, but not serious brotherly advice. "If he can't see what a great girl you are, then he's a thick git. Have a good time with someone else. Try not to think about him. That will only make you nuts." Ginny tried to mimic her brother's voices, which made Hermione smile a little. "Let him see you having a good time with someone else. Maybe then he'll realize what he's missing. Maybe next time something comes up, he will think about asking you." Ginny mimicked Fred and George trying to sound serious.

Hermione laughed at Ginny's attempt to sound like her brothers. "Sounds like the advice I gave you your first year, doesn't it?"

"Yes, it is. Basically the very same, if I recall. So if you and my brothers are giving me the same advice, don't you think it must be pretty good advice?" Ginny asked.

"But has it worked for you?" Hermione asked with a big sigh.

"Not with Harry, no. He still doesn't notice me at all. But I did go and have fun at the ball with Neville. As soon as I forgot about Harry, I began to really enjoy myself. I did have a great time," Ginny said. "Your other options are to bury yourself in your books and school work or cry into your pillow," Ginny said, looking into Hermione's tear-filled eyes and smiled. "I tried both actually. It works, but you miss out on all the fun you could be having." Ginny got up to go. "Get some sleep if you can. Tomorrow, have breakfast with Fred, George and me. If my twin brothers can't cheer you up – nothing will!"

"Thanks, Ginny," Ginny heard as she left.

~~o0o~~

The next morning Ginny sought out Fred and George before they headed down to breakfast, and right away George asked, "So, how was the Ball last night? Did you have a good time, sis?"

"I had a very good time, actually," Ginny admitted, smiling.

"We saw you dancing with everyone in the house," Fred said. "You were pretty popular last night."

"I mostly danced with the guys who were at my table. Neville, of course, and his dorm mates, and two guys from Ravenclaw," Ginny pointed out.

"We saw you dancing with Viktor Krum!" Fred stated.

"Neville and I met up with Hermione and Viktor at one point, yes." Ginny didn't want to say it was because Hermione looked upset over Ron, who had just been a prat to her. "Hermione wanted to dance with Neville, so Viktor asked me," Ginny said casually. She had to smother a giggle. Boy, my brothers were keeping an eye on me then. "Besides, he is kind of nice when you get to know him, actually."

"So, our sister is now friends with an international Quidditch star, huh?" George asked. "Imagine that, Fred – the possibilities!"

"I don't know about friends, but I have spoken to him a few times," Ginny stated. "Mostly, when he wanted to talk to Hermione. He was just being nice to me at the Ball when Hermione said she wanted to dance with Neville."

"So, you had a good time then?" George asked again.

"You're glad we set you up with Neville?" Fred asked, grinning at her, just as Hermione joined them.

"Yes, you were right. I had a good time going with Neville. Should I say thanks now, or do you want it mailed by owl?" Ginny teased her brothers.

"Embossed parchment by owl, would be fine..." Fred answered as George said, "Announcing your gratitude now, would be fine," at the same time. Ginny laughed at her brothers, shaking her head. Hermione laughed and Fred put his arm across her shoulders. "So Hermione, about Viktor... You're an item now or what?"

"WE just went to the Ball together, that's all," she exclaimed, a little too firmly. Both Fred and George smirked at her.

"He always seems so dower," George stated.

"Not at all!" Hermione exclaimed. "Viktor isn't actually very extroverted or gregarious; he's reticent, circumspect around people he doesn't know."

"C'mon, Hermione, use words we all know," Fred teased her. "He was very attentive to you last night. You're telling me you didn't even..."

"No! He was a perfect gentleman last night," Hermione snapped, playfully slapping Fred on the arm. "True, Viktor isn't very loquacious or mawkish, but he is very respectful and yes, attentive. He's a nice guy."

"But you'd have preferred going with 'ickle Ronniekins," Fred teased as he and George followed Ginny through the portrait hole. "I heard he was a right 'ole prat to you last night."

"He..." Hermione straightened up as she entered in the corridor and turned to watch Fred emerge. "He..."

"Yes, he was. The whole house heard you two last night," Fred interrupted her.

"Thought that you were going to give him a good hex or something," George added.

"Kind of disappointed that you didn't," Fred stated, grinning.

"Took care of it for you," George stated proudly.

Hermione stared at him, gobsmacked. "What did you do?"

Fred smiled mischievously. "Swelling Solution in his shampoo, Babbling draught in a butterbeer we gave him last night..."

"Black beetle exoskeletons in his bed, cockroaches in his slippers, nettle leaves in his pajamas... We didn't do all that much to him," George said.

"Yet," Fred added. Hermione looked from Fred to George with her mouth open in shock. "Dean and Neville did kind of suggest that we do something."

"Well, they actually said that he should be taught some manners," George interjected, grinning.

Fred's brow wrinkled as he looked at George. "I believe Neville said that he shouldn't have said those things to her and pissed her off – and ruined your night," he said turning back to Hermione. "Well, something like that. Anyway we agreed."

George cocked his head and grinned wickedly. "It was the best we could do on such short notice."

"You didn't!" Hermione gasped. Ginny was grinning as she listened to Fred and George describe their pranks, but also with a twinge of pride because Neville thought they should stand up for Hermione

"Oh, yes, we did," Fred said, puffing out his chest, "and proud of it!"

"No need to thank us," George said, with a mock sweep of his arm and a slight bow, "proud to be of service. Of course, knowing my brother, I doubt he got the message properly."

"May have to do some more 'teaching' today," Fred added, "to properly defend your honor."

Ginny snickered softly as Hermione stared at Fred and George, and then shook her head with a big smile. "I think you've already done enough to defend my honor."

"Are you sure?" Fred asked. "We still have a few pouches of old urtica leaves, bubotuber powder, and... I think I still have some wild sumac and possibly poison ivy..."

"Not to mention some Shrinking Solution and Aging Potion left. We could see how well Ronniekins' beard would grow?" George asked, looking at her with a smirk. Hermione's eyes widened alarmingly. Ginny stifled a laugh. "No?" he asked.

"I really do think you've done enough," Hermione stated. "Besides, I'd hate for you to get in trouble with Professor McGonagall on my account. But thanks anyway."

All the way down to the Great Hall, Fred and George teased Hermione with several more suggestions, each one turned down politely or laughed off entirely by Hermione. By the time they sat down for breakfast, Fred and George had Hermione and Ginny laughing hysterically with their usual charm and antics.

~~o0o~~

The next day after lunch, Ginny was leaving the Great Hall, heading to the library before her next class, when Michael Corner caught up to her. "Hey, Ginny, how's it going?" he asked. "I, um... So, where are you headed?"

"The library – to finish my essay before class," Ginny replied.

"Me too – the library." He shuffled his feet and then looked down the corridor. "I could go with you," he said in an obvious attempt to have an excuse to talk with her.

"Sure, if you like," Ginny said as she started walking again.

He was silent for a few steps before asking, "I can carry your books, if you like?"

"I only have the two with me. I think I can manage." Ginny had to laugh, unsure of what he wanted.

"Hey, the Ball was something, wasn't it?" he asked, keeping pace with her down the corridor. "You and Neville have a good time?"

"We did, thank you," Ginny replied. "Did you?"

"Yeah... How'd you like the Weird Sisters? They're cool, aren't they?" Michael looked at her, then quickly looked down at this hands.

"Yes, I like them," Ginny answered, smiling at his attempt at a casual conversation.

"And the dinner – it was different," he said, finally stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"Yes, it was very fancy," Ginny replied, wondering why he mentioned it.

Michael began to ask her about each detail of the dance he could think of. Ginny politely answered each question, until they got to the library door. "Right then, I guess I'll see you around then," Michael finally said as he opened the door for her.

Ginny had to laugh. "Yeah. Sure. I'll see you around."

"Bye!" he called out from the library doorway, and Madam Pince immediately shushed him. He stood there a moment longer watching Ginny before he let the door close. Well, no doubt about it, I will be seeing plenty more of Michael Corner, Ginny thought assuredly. She walked over to the Charms section to find a book for her essay.

"Hey, Ginny," Dean Thomas said as he walked up to stand by her in the aisle. "What are ya doing?"

"My Charms essay. I need another book on Severing and Cutting Charms," she said, scanning the books before her.

Dean shifted his feet. "I could teach you how to do the Severing Charm if you like," he said hopefully.

Ginny suppressed a smile. "Hermione showed me one a few weeks ago." She pulled down two books and scanned the table of contents, discarding one and setting the second aside. "Is there more than one?"

Dean smiled. "There are three we learn in school, and Fred showed me a really strong one – nearly severed a tree trunk."

Ginny turned, her finger hooked on another book she had been about to pull down, stunned. "He cut a tree in half?"

"No, but he severed a thick branch off," he said. He reached for a book over her head. "Here, this one is pretty good and..." He moved down the aisle a bit and pulled down two more. "I think these will help... and..." He pointed his wand at the top shelf, bringing down a very old tome. "I used this book – I think... Yeah, this one has some old references in it."

Ginny stifled a laugh. "I only needed three examples of Severing and Cutting Charms, in order to describe and make comparisons of their effects. You'll have me writing an essay like Hermione does, if I use all these books." She stacked the first three books to carry them to the tables.

"I got them," Dean said as he quickly grabbed the other two, stacking them on the four books he was holding. "Where do you want to sit?"

"I was thinking I'd join Luna," Ginny said, pointing at the table across the library. Luna was sting by herself, reading a book intently with her wand tucked behind her ear. "You could join us," she said as she led the way to Luna's table.

"Looney Love..." he started to say and stopped when he saw Ginny's smile fade. "I'll just carry these for you," Dean said nervously. "If you had plans with your friend... I don't want to impose on you – your girl talk – or anything, you know. "

"She's really a nice girl, and smart. I'm sure it will be okay." Luna looked up as they approached. "Hi, Luna. May we?" Ginny asked, indicating the empty chairs.

"Sure," Luna replied. "Careful of that book," she said, pointing at the tome on bottom of Dean's pile. "It may have been infested with nargles. Jamie had it just before Christmas and Harold dropped some mistletoe on it."

"Oh, what – nargles? Ah, yeah, sure," Dean stuttered as Ginny sat down. She received many inquisitive looks from the other girls in her class at the other tables. "I, ah, Ginny – I, um... it's good to see you." He set the books he'd carried for her down on the table.

"It's good to see you too," Ginny said, trying to suppress a giggle.

"So, I'll see you around then," he said as he turned to go.

"Yeah, sure," she answered, watching him go.

"I hope he wasn't infested by the nargles," Luna said, watching Dean walk over to join Neville and Sean at their table. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," Ginny replied. "Sorry about him. I think he was simply struck by the be-an-idiot hex or something. Hey, have you started your essay for Charms?"

Luna merely shrugged. "No, not yet," she said, then turned her gaze back to Ginny. "I think he likes you. He just didn't want to sit with me." Ginny looked at Luna, surprised. "Did you have a good time at the Ball? I saw you dancing with Viktor Krum."

"Yes, I did," Ginny answered with a smile as she pulled her essay from her bag. "I had a very good time, Luna, thanks. I'm sorry I didn't see you at the Ball. Did you have a good time?"

"Yes. It was very pretty." She looked up, smiling dreamily. "I danced with Professor Dumbledore and Professor Flitwick. Professor Flitwick assured me that he checked the mistletoe for nargles before hanging it in the Great Hall. But I thought I saw some ice-pixies on the decorations and in the grotto, though."

"I'm sorry I didn't notice them," Ginny said, smiling. "What do they do?"

"They make the ice sparkle," Luna stated. "And make the boys act weird."

Ginny looked over her shoulder at the table where Dean, Sean and Neville all sat, chucking balls of parchment at each other. "The Great Hall must have been full of them, then," she said, turning around, amused.

*~*****~*

Author's Notes:

I owe a big debt of gratitude to Phoenix and Notsosaintly for all their hard work and time in cleaning this story up and making it presentable. Thank you both. I appreciate it more than either of you can know.