The bag containing all his books and scribbled out and crumpled pieces of parchments that were supposed to be notes had been carelessly thrown to the floor of the Gryffindor common room. Two days into the new term and he was already behind and that wasn't even a new record for Ron.

He had collapsed into one of the cushy armchairs the room contained and leaned his head back closing his eyes. Merlin but it was only the second day and the professors were already laying it on thick. His homework load this year would be nothing to fool around with and he hadn't even made it to all of his classes yet. It was a good thing to have Hermione around and he hoped she would help him this year the same as she had helped last year.

Speaking of, where was she anyways? Ron opened his eyes and moved his head this way and that but didn't spot Hermione anywhere nor did he see Harry. He was sure Hermione was was most likely holes up in the library as was customary for the know it all but you wouldn't catch Ron saying that to her face. He didn't know why she just didn't leave well enough alone and he had told her that much and had paid the price for his trouble but Ron was positive that Dumbledore would have told them something or atleast Harry.

But wait. They weren't following Dumbledore anymore remember? It was possible the old man was keeping things to himself in retaliation to Harry's silent treatment towards him but Ron didn't know of there was still or silent treatment or not. He didn't know much of anything right then because since they had gotten to Hogwarts Harry had made himself scarce and hadn't even finished their conversation on the train. So it stood that Ron was completely out of the loop and you didn't even want to get him started on the things he had been hearing about Ginny lately.

Ginny knew she was supposed to eat quickly at dinner that night, since Harry had told her to earlier that morning. Keeping this in mind, she’d hurried up to Gryffindor Tower to get a start on some homework in her free period before dinner. It was clear that there wouldn’t be much time for scholastic endeavors this evening, and so Ginny needed to get what she could done now.

Unfortunately, as she walked over to her preferred spot in the common room, she noticed a familiar head of red hair. She groaned, not knowing what to expect from her brother. He’d been sending her glares at every meal so far, and she couldn’t help but wonder how many rumors had found their way to him. And she hadn’t even done anything yet! Well, besides snogging a random guy on the train and then beating Parkinson’s face in… But still.

Setting her resolve, Ginny sat in one of the maroon chairs across from her brother and shoved some of his crumpled papers out of her way. She set her transfiguration book on the table, then rummaged in her bag for a quill and ink, along with some fresh parchment. Unlike her brother, she kept her notes in a manageable condition, and they were easily placed with her book. She was ready to write a decent essay on transforming dinnerware into fungi, and she eased her robes off, getting more comfortable in the warm room.

As she was about to begin her paper, Ginny could no longer ignore the irritation that seemed to positively flow from Ron’s entire being. She glared at him, wanting nothing more than to slap the stupid out of the older boy. Of course, she reasoned that that would take all day, and she just didn’t have the time. So she simply asked, “What’s your problem, Ron?”

"Nothing. Just put your robes back on Gin." He practically groaned at her. He had done nothing but argue with Ginny all summer long and he wasn't looking forward to doing it all school year either. There was nothing for it though if she wanted to keep on the way she was. Snogging random blokes and dressing like she didn't care to leave anything to the imagination. It was bad enough that Ron didn't want to say anything to her about it because he knew she wouldn't comply anyways but it always came back to him because he was her brother and certain people liked to remind him of how his sister looked and acted the part of a slag.

He wasn't daft enough to say that outright and on top of it was his ever growing pile of homework and the unfinished business with Harry. That was another thing. He was sure he hadn't been mistaken in thinking Gin had something for Harry. So why was she all over some other bloke? Why did she have to date at all? Didn't she realize her actions affected him too? Of course she didn't because she was being selfish and stupid.

Put her robes back on? Why would she need to put her robes back on when classes were finished and she was trying to do some homework? The damn things just got in the way. Ginny glared at her brother, daring him to say another word. “I don’t think I will, Ronald,” she bit at him. The girl pointedly shoved her robes aside and continued with her work, dipping her favorite eagle owl quill in some ink and scratching out a quick title and first sentence before looking back up at her seemingly uncomfortable sibling.

“You obviously have a problem, so why don’t you just spit it out?” A slender brow was raised at the other redhead. Ginny wasn’t sure where this conversation was going, but she really didn’t think she’d end up getting much homework done. She was already having a hard time concentrating on the essay before her. All she wanted to do was reach out and strangle her brother for thinking he had any right to tell her what she could or couldn’t do. Maybe she should hit him. It might knock some sense into the idiot. The idea brought a small smile to her face, and she had to hold back a little laugh at the thought of Ron being slapped by his little sister.

He groaned and squirmed uncomfortably in his chair and his face screwed up in between a glare back at his younger sister and a grimace at the fight they were heading into. He really didn't want to get into it with Ginny. She always got so mad so fast and took everything so bloody personal when he was just trying to look out for her. It wasn't like he told her things just to be a prick and it wasn't his fault he didn't have a subtle bone in his body. Where was Hermione when you needed her? Or Harry for that matter. Gin always listened to Harry. Another reason to be jealous of him.

"My problem is my best mate seems to be spending a hell of a lot more time with my little sister who seems to be in competition with Parkinson on who can date the most blokes in the school. My problem is that people I've never even talked to before are calling you a slag to my face and telling me about your latest snorting adventures Gin!" By this time Ron was nearly shouting and no longer in his seat. He had jumped out of it in his frustration and paced back and forth shooting her glares as his temper made his face redder and redder as well as his ears.

“I haven’t even dated that many people!” she yelled, unable to keep from raising her voice at the ridiculousness of her brother’s words. “How dare you even repeat such a thing about me, and compare me to someone like that, that pug!” She was furious. A brother shouldn’t even use such terms around his little sister, let alone about her. Since Ron had stood up, Ginny hopped to her feet as well. She didn’t even come close to him in height, but she still felt bigger standing there, glaring daggers up at him and poking him in the chest.

Ginny had a hard time resisting the urge to curse her brother, but she did jab her pointer into his chest, hoping she would manage to poke some of the sensitive areas between his ribs. “You have no right to accuse me of such things, especially when you haven’t even asked me a damn thing about them!” The redhead was furious now, not holding back in her anger as she kept her tone eerily close to that of her mother. “But you wouldn’t think to actually ask me about who I’ve been snogging or not, would you, Ron? No, you’d rather just believe the rumors that your sister is a bloody slag and go on with your day. What is it, Ron? You think a girl can’t wear pants that show off her ass or a shirt that fits a bit snug without looking like some cheap whore? Well I have news for you, you misogynistic pig! I am proud of my body and I will damn well show off all the work I’ve done to build the lean muscular body I have!”

Her hands were on her hips and sparks crackled around her hair. Her magic was reacting to her mood, just like it did before she was old enough for a wand. “I am not easy, nor do I kiss just anyone. You’d know that if you paid a lick of attention to me. If Fred and George heard you talk you wouldn’t be able to speak again for months.” Ginny still stood there glaring as she willed herself not to smack her foolish brother. He really needed to learn to choose his words more wisely when he spoke to his hot-tempered sister.

(OOC: Hope you don't mind the poking. )

His sister went off just like he had expected and he was either brave or stupid for not being scared and it was probably a bit of both. He hated that she got so annoyingly angry when he was just looking out for her. Merlin! It wasn't his fault the school was turning her into some scarlet woman. "Why in the name of Merlin's baggy y-fronts would I ask who you've been snogging? I don't want to hear that." Just the thought had his face screwing up in half disgust and half a grimace which didn't make him look any better when mixed with all the redness.

"And who said I believe the rumors Gin huh? I'm just telling you what's being said about you and you're jumping down my throat like I'm the one who's spreading them." He did think she could act and dress a bit more modestly. "And don't go getting all mad at me when you're the one giving people something to talk about. If you want to be mad at someone take a look in the mirror because you're the one dressing and acting the way you are so don't go bringing Fred and George in this because they'd give you a good talking to if they heard what I've been hearing."

Ron knew his older brothers well enough and knew they would give her a few choice words even if they did prank a few people for their thoughts on Ginny. Ron was sick and tired of Ginny acting like she was some saint who never did anything wrong and some princess everyone would jump to protect. She was getting on his bloody last nerve with her attitude.

Swallowing hard, Ginny resisted the urge to actually punch her brother square in the jaw. He might not think he was calling her anything, but the simple fact that he told her to go look in a mirror to find a reason for the rumors was bad enough to warrant her never speaking to the bloody git again, as far as she was concerned. “You may not be saying it about me, Ron, but you sure as hell aren’t saying the opposite. I may not be some holy saint, but I’m sure as hell not sleeping around. You should know me better than to even consider the possibility.”

In truth, Ginny was hurt by Ron’s accusations, even if he didn’t mean to accuse her. The idea that he would even consider her doing… things with multitudes of guys without a care was just wrong. She had more pride than that, and she thought her brother knew that much. “What you are hearing is nothing more than that. Hear-say. You can’t hold what other people say against me!” Ginny could feel her eyes starting to sting, and she refused to cry. Ron would not make her show such weakness!

“There’s no way anyone else in this family would think so little of me, Ron,” she growled. The youngest Weasley turned on her heel and began gathering her notes and supplies. There was no way she was getting anything else done with her assignment tonight. She was somewhere between crying and killing something, and Ginny wasn’t sure which she was going to do, but she knew she needed to remove herself from her brother’s presence. Perhaps she could go inhale her dinner and then zap some spiders with her wand or something.

Glaring more daggers at her brother, Ginny grabbed her robes and school bag and headed for the girls’ staircase to drop her things off before heading for the Great Hall. “You are a complete arse, Ronald Weasley. I can’t believe I am related to you.”