MetaFic

True to her word, Ginny was waiting patently at the doors of the hospital wing at dawn. Madam Pomfrey, after fussing over Harry for nearly half an hour, finally released him to Ginny with an admonishment to make sure Harry received proper rest and sufficient food. Ginny smiled at the fussy matron and assured her that Harry would be well taken care of.

After escaping the infirmary, Ginny and Harry returned to Gryffindor Tower, where Harry has able to get a quick shower.

While Harry showered and dressed, Hermione and Ron came downstairs and waited with Ginny. After Harry returned to the common room and exchanged greetings and stories with his friends, he took Ginny's small hand in his, and the four friends made their way to the Great Hall for breakfast.

Thus began a pattern that would hold for the remainder of the term, with Ginny waiting patiently for Harry before every meal and the two of them entering the Great Hall hand in hand.

Slowly, over the course of the next few weeks, things returned to normal at Hogwarts. Classes resumed, and while the students were more subdued than usual, the normal background chatter and small personal traumas of being a teenager began to bring a sense of normalcy to the school. Everyone knew the worst was behind them when Fred and George managed to slip something into the food at the Slytherin table that turned everyone's hair hot pink.

Through all this, Ginny continued to work on her plan to protect Harry. While she had decided on her course of action, the truth was that Ginny had virtually no experience in these matters. What little she did know came from having 'The Talk' with her mother and from surreptitiously listening in on conversations among her older brothers concerning their adventures with various female companions. Some of Bill and Charlie's stories were rather enlightening, if slightly embarrassing to listen to.

In truth, Ginny wasn't worried about that part of her plan. Harry was a boy. She was a girl. A girl who Mr. Potter was very much in love with. That part of the plan should pretty much take care of itself, given the opportunity. Granted, Ginny realized she would have to be the aggressor, which made her giggle when she thought about it, but she was sure that if she took the lead Harry would happily follow along.

It was the other, more important part of the plan she was worried about. There had to be a way to make sure that what she needed to happen would happen and preferably the first time. She had looked through every book in the library but had come up with only a few contraceptive charms and potions, which were the complete opposite of what she was looking for. She had concluded that the Hogwarts library had nothing on the subject, which, upon further consideration, she could understand.

Wouldn't want that information loose in the hands of hormonal teen-agers, would we? she thought ruefully.

In truth, Ginny was beginning to get frustrated. She was considering simply cornering Harry with a box of chocolate while wearing a skimpy nightie and hoping nature would do the rest.

What she needed was another girl to talk to. But Hermione was out for obvious reasons. Even if her friend hadn't been dating her brother, she knew Hermione would figure out what she was up to and try to stop her. Hermione would argue that she was too young, that they weren't ready, and that another way to protect Harry would be found. In truth, Ginny knew that the first two were true, but she knew the third was false, so onward she pressed.

As fate would have it, life gave Ginny the answer to her problem wrapped up in the most ridiculous of packages.

It was George, of all the crazy people, who pointed her to the answer she needed.

Ginny was sitting quietly in an oversized chair in the common room, mostly out of view. Harry was meeting with Sirius and Lupin. Ron and Hermione had disappeared together hours ago. She had stayed behind to catch up on her Charms homework. The only other occupants of the room were Fred and Angelina, who were, amongst other things, talking in low voices by the fireplace. It was at that moment that George came bounding through the portrait hole, a serious look on his face. Surprisingly George looked right past his twin and addressed Angelina.

"Angie, do you know who Katie fancies?"

Fred looked slightly annoyed. "Um, George old bean, do you mind?"

"No, not at all," George said, and then he looked back at Angelina for his answer.

Angelina laughed at the look on Fred's face and then turned back to George. "As far as I know she doesn't fancy anyone right now. Why?"

"Yes, tell us why, dear brother." Fred smiled.

"It's just that I found her sitting behind the Quidditch shed reading a book." He stopped talking and looked a bit embarrassed.

Fred and Angelina finally burst together, "And?"

"The book's title was ‘Family Planning for the Smart Witch: How to Guarantee When and When Not to Have One.’ I just thought it odd." He looked at his feet suddenly.

Fred's eyes had gone wide with shock, but Angelina only laughed at them both.

The twins gave her a serious look, and then Fred said, "Well? Obviously you know something. Out with it, woman!"

Angelina finally managed to control her laughter. "Oh, you two! Katie wants to go into children's care and development after Hogwarts. She reads all kinds of books about parenting and children."

George again looked down at his feet and then mumbled a soft "Oh, I see," before drifting up the stairs to the boys’ dormitories.

Fred and Angelina watched until he vanished from sight, and then both burst out laughing. "My dearest Angelina, I do believe my twin's days as a dashing rover are numbered."

"Perhaps I should a nice long chat with Katie." Angelina turned back to Fred. "Later, of course."

The next morning, Ginny Weasley knocked on the door of the sixth year girls’ dormitory and asked politely to speak to Katie Bell.