Chapter 1 - Back to the Burrow
Harry Potter surveyed his room at 4 Privet Drive. His books were strewn about, parchment rolls littered his desk by the dozens and there were at least five bottles of untouched ink waiting to be packed. His Hogwarts trunk was open on his bed and his closet was open. It was time to pack to go to the Burrow. And Harry was more than ready.
The summer had been more or less uneventful, if you discounted Dudley being on a strict exercise regiment that shook the house daily. Once, Harry had been writing a letter to Ron and the house was shaking so much, Ron's reply had been "You feeling okay, Harry? Your writing was shaky." Harry had to laugh to himself as he chose to tell Ron in person so that he could appreciate his friend's hearty laugh. He reckoned he would need it by the time he got to the Burrow. The Dursleys had made his summer unbearable yet again, forcing him to do chores until well after they were in bed and giving him little time to sleep. He was tired and anyone who looked at him could tell that he was being mistreated.
Harry smiled at his trunk with his tired eyes. He would be at the Burrow in a matter of hours. He would be seeing his friends, his family. The people who cared about him and his well being, probably even more than himself. And they meant the world to him as well.
Harry went to his closet and pulled out his Quidditch robes, a bright smile on his face as he remembered winning both the Quidditch Cup and House Cup his previous year. Fred and George had been co-captains and Ron had replaced Oliver Wood as the team's new Keeper. Yes, his fifth year had been a good one, with the exception of Death Eaters and Voldemort of course.
As Harry packed his robes into the trunk, he felt a flutter of excitement. He would be seeing Ginny that afternoon. They had been writing all summer to each other and their friendship had grown even more stable than it had the previous year. Harry couldn't deny that she had an effect on him, he just wasn't sure what that effect was or how she was going to play out in his life. He didn't really want to think on it all that much. Thinking just served to confuse him even more than he already was.
Looking at the clock, Harry hurried his pace, throwing his parchment, books and ink into the trunk. He picked up the loose floorboard and surveyed his stash of birthday treats that his friends had sent him. He put the things he could bring with him, Chocolate Frogs, truffles, Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans, and other miscellaneous candies into his trunk as well. The cakes were the only things left. He had a few pieces of each cake he had been sent left, but he didn't know what to do with them. Taking them out of their hiding spot, Harry surveyed their condition. They were a little worse for the wear and a bit stale. Harry shrugged, and threw them in the wastebasket. He felt extremely bad, but he was somewhat sick of them. They had been his main nourishment for a time, but one could only eat so much cake. Besides, Harry was looking forward to some of Mrs. Weasleys excellent cooking.
Harry threw the rest of his possessions into the trunk and looked around the room one last time. He had packed everything. Checking his watch, a new one that had been a present from Sirius the Christmas past, told him that he only had twenty minutes before the Weasleys came to get him. He assumed that it would be Mr. Weasley and Ron, the twins being absorbed in the grand opening of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. It stood to reason that Mrs. Weasley would be getting the house ready for Harry's arrival.
Harry brought down his wastebasket as discreetly as possible, went outside to the trashcan and threw the cakes out, covering them with a few old newspapers for good measure. He replaced the wastebasket liner and brought it back upstairs. He then closed and locked his trunk and began the trek downstairs with it. It banged and clattered against each stair, too heavy to lift.
"Stop with that RACKET, Potter! You'll bring the HOUSE DOWN!" Uncle Vernon screamed out from his well-worn chair in the living room.
Harry shook his head in utter disgust. He would bring the house down with his trunk? What about Dudley making the walls quiver whenever he exercised?
"Going to the Burrow, going to the Burrow." Harry muttered as he took a deep breath and forced himself not to say what he really wanted to. Harry disregarded his uncle's warnings, clunked the trunk down the last five or so steps, and dragged it over to the fireplace.
"Those people," Uncle Vernon began, spitting the word at Harry, showering him with saliva, "will be here soon?"
Harry wiped his face with his sleeve and took off his glasses, cleaning them off as well. "The Weasleys will be here in a few minutes. If you don't want to talk to them, then you can leave." He muttered forcefully, never liking the way that the Durley's spoke of or to the Weasleys.
"And let them have free run of our house, I think not!"
A purple vein popped out of the top of Uncle Vernon's forehead as he yelled. Harry rolled his eyes, but actually thought that might be for the best. He wasn't sure what Mr. Weasley would do in a Muggle house with no one there to stop his prodding. Harry smiled at the thought. He would have a great time explaining, or trying to explain, Muggle items to Mr. Weasley.
As he was thinking this, Harry took out the fireplace candelabra and placed it on the floor next to the hearth. He looked up into the chimney and inspected the fireplace for anything else that might obstruct the Weasleys from using the Floo Network. Uncle Vernon watched him carefully.
"They are coming through the fireplace again I suppose." He muttered as he flipped his paper up to cover his face.
"Would you rather them just appear in the front yard?" Harry countered. He could see the steam rising from the top of Uncle Vernon's head. Harry smiled smugly and waited for the retort Uncle Vernon never gave. Feeling triumphant, Harry ran back upstairs to grab Hedwig's cage. She was off delivering a letter to Sirius for him and he had told her to meet him at The Burrow. He skipped down the stairs, giddy to be leaving, and placed the cage on one end of the trunk. He sat down on the other end and waited.
For the first time ever in Weasley history, they were on time. A little early even, by Harry's watch, but he wasn't complaining. Harry watched in awe at the fluorescent green flames that burst into the fireplace on their own, announcing the arrival. Harry smiled broadly and stood up, Uncle Vernon clutched at his heart. Mr. Weasley and Ron stepped out of the fireplace one at a time, and each greeted him.
"Harry! Good to see you!" Mr. Weasley said as he clapped Harry on the shoulder, much like he did to his own sons. Harry smiled up at Mr. Weasley. Even though Harry was a tall sixteen-year-old, he was still shorter than all of the Weasley men.
"You too, Mr. Weasley!" He said, and then he addressed his best friend. "Hi Ron!" Ron beamed at Harry. He took great pleasure in the fact that he was always there to help Harry out of the dreaded Dursley household and Harry was grateful to him for it. Their friendship was one that didn't need many explanations, it just was. Harry reached down and grabbed Hedwig's cage, about to throw it into the fireplace. Ron's arm reached out to stop him.
"Wait, someone else is coming." He said with an odd look in his eyes that for once, Harry couldn't decipher. It looked like a cross between elation and irritability. And it confused Harry. He felt the cool prickle of flames against his legs and heard the loud WHOOSH and turned around to see who was arriving.
Harry's eyes widened and his jaw went slack when he saw Ginny Weasley step out of the flames. She was a bit taller than he remembered her to be, her hair was longer, more of a rusty color than red, and she was, in a word, breathtaking. Harry stood dumbfounded for a few seconds.
"Well go on. You are leaving aren't you?" He heard Uncle Vernon say. Abruptly, Harry was shaken out of his daze. He turned onto his uncle.
"Good-bye." Was all he said as he handed Ginny the cage with a smile and he and Ron picked up the trunk. Ginny went first, then Ron, standing next to the trunk. Harry stepped into the fireplace and took some floo powder from Mr. Weasleys outstretched hand. Uncle Vernon was trying not to look at them, but Harry could tell he actually was.
"Say goodbye to your nephew." Mr. Weasleys voice held an authoritative remember-what-happened-last-time tone to it. Harry smirked at Uncle Vernon being forced to be nice to him.
"Goodbye." Uncle Vernon said curtly, never once pulling the paper away from his face. Mr. Weasley shrugged, figuring that was as good as he was going to get and followed after Harry back to the Burrow.
***
Harry smiled into the warm sunshine that was cascading onto Diagon Alley. He, Hermione and the Weasleys were shopping for school supplies. Harry couldn't help but sneak glances over at Ginny as she talked with Hermione about one girly thing or another. He had found that it was hard to not look at her. She was always smiling, her personality bubbling out of her. He loved her personality. It was cheerful, full of life, funny, infectious. She was oozing confidence that Harry could only assume had come from facing Voldemort and coming out alive. Ron said she had been acting like this all summer. Harry was beginning to think that it wasn't a passing stage in Ginny's life, but that she had finally grown into who she wanted to be. He had never seen her looking more radiant than when the sunlight was shining behind her, her hair illuminated in a soft glow, her eyes light up by the brilliant smile she was wearing.
Harry shook his head. Since when had he become a poet? He wasn't acting like his normal self around Ginny. He was tripping over his words, stuttering especially when talking with Ginny. Hermione kept looking at him with that you-can't-fool-me look on her face that Harry could have done without. If he had been honest with himself, he would have seen that he was acting exactly like Ginny had in her second year. Merlin help him! Shaking himself out of his daydream, Harry noticed that they were stopped in front of Flourish and Blotts.
"Now, we'll meet back here in two hours." Mrs. Weasley smiled at the four kids and she and Mr. Weasley headed off in the direction of the Leaky Cauldron for an afternoon butterbeer.
"Well, what should we do?" Hermione asked, looking longingly at the scores of books in the store behind Harry and Ron.
"Ice cream?" Ginny asked, her impish grin lighting her face. Harry nodded enthusiastically. Ron scrunched his face. Hermione laughed.
They sat down for some ice cream and little conversation, spending the majority of their first hour talking with each other.
"So, did you hear that we don't have a Muggle Studies professor anymore, Hermione?" Ginny asked around a mouthful of whipped cream. Hermione looked positively horrified. She had been unable to resist the topic in her fifth year and taken it up again. Much to the dismay of Professor Trelawny, most of her Divination class had also not been able to resist the topic and many asked to transfer to Muggle Studies
"What?" she squeaked.
"Professor Rapunze decided to retire while he still could. I guess you didn't hear whose taking over until we get a permanent professor." Ginny said gloomily.
"Who?"
"Professor Snape."
"What?" Hermione's repeated word was shrilly said this time, causing a few looks from other patrons. Ron and Harry had been quietly listening to this conversation while eating their ice cream, but Ron could no longer be quiet.
"That man knows no more about Muggles than I do about." he looked perplexed. "Give me something I don't know anything about, Harry."
"Divination?" Harry supplied. Ron looked at him and Harry shrugged, going back to his ice cream.
"Anyway, he's only a substitute, right Ginny? It won't be long before they find a proper professor." Hermione said sensibly, though she looked thoroughly shaken by the news. Ginny shrugged. "At least we have each other." Hermione mused into the soup that she had turned her ice cream into by stirring. Ginny had excelled in Muggle Studies and because of the year lapse in the subject for Hermione and many of her classmates, Ginny was in Muggle Studies with the sixth years.
The four finished their ice cream and walked out into the sunshine again. They walked past many of their fellow Hogwarts students, exchanging greetings of hello, and found themselves in front of Quality Quidditch Supplies.
"Let's go?" Ron asked and they all entered, looking at the different kinds of brooms as they walked in. The Keeper section of the store near the front caught Ron's attention, while Harry made a beeline for the back section labeled SEEKER SUPPLIES.
He was looking at a bottle of Grip-N-Go powder that kept the Snitch from sliding out of your grip once it had been caught when he felt a hand on his arm. He looked into Ginny's smiling face and cracked a bright smile of his own.
"We really haven't had the chance to catch up with each other since you got here, Harry," she said, her hand still lightly grasping his elbow. His smile faltered as the fluttering in his stomach increased. If she noticed, she said nothing about it. "Would you like to go for a walk around the garden tonight? Just us? Catch up on things."
Harry was able to find his voice long enough to squeak a quick 'yes' and she smiled even more deeply at him. She raised herself onto the balls of her feet, gave him a small peck on the cheek and bounced back down. She squeezed his elbow for effect before she took off to find Hermione. Harry blinked a few times and tried to pull himself out of the clouds in his head.
"You getting that?" He heard Ron ask him. Harry had to grapple with what Ron was talking about, but he looked down and saw the Grip-N-Go in his tightly fisted hand. He shook his head no and placed it back on the counter.
"Let's go, I think we're going to be late." He said, consulting his watch.
"Yeah." Ron was looking excited. "Harry! They have the best grip gloves over there! I can't wait until I own a pair!" Harry filed that piece of information in place reserved for Christmas and Birthdays in his mind and they set out to find Hermione and Ginny.
***
After the dinner dishes had been cleared and the sink had been charmed to wash them, Harry and Ginny started out of the house for their walk. Harry felt himself the most relaxed that he had been since he had come to the Burrow.
"So, how was your summer, really, Harry?" Ginny asked, as they stopped by the edge of the stream and sat down. Harry contemplated this question as he picked at the stands of grass.
"Could have been better, could have been worse." He finally answered. Ginny nodded slightly.
"Would you like to talk about it, or let it go?" Her tone was very gentle and he knew she was talking about last year and how it had affected him this summer. She placed a hand gently on Harry's arm, giving him a feeling of both security and support. Ginny tilted her head slightly when he looked at her; in a way he found oddly endearing. He smiled at her and began to slowly nod yes.
"I've never had to fight so hard in my life." Harry started softly. Ginny leaned her torso closer to hear him, sensing that was the better alternative then asking him to speak up. Harry continued. "I've never been more scared of anything. It was like he knew what I was thinking at any given moment, like he was in my mind." Harry shuddered. Ginny closed her eyes, but Harry noticed a single tear roll down her cheek. She knew too well what it was like to have someone know how your mind worked and how to manipulate you through it. Without even thinking about it, Harry slipped his arm around her and pulled her closer to him.
"I'm sorry, Harry. This isn't about me." She said weakly into his shoulder where she had rested her head.
"This is about all of us, Ginny. We all know what it's like to fight Voldemort. You, me, Ron, Hermione. We all know." Harry's words comforted Ginny in a way that he hadn't meant them too, but he felt her relax against him. This encouraged him.
"He lured us all into that cave, and you know what I was thinking the entire time?" Harry asked, reminding Ginny of the cave outside of Hogsmeade in which Sirius had been residing in since his escape from Azkaban. Ginny shook her head and looked up at Harry.
"The Chamber of Secrets." Harry answered dully. He felt Ginny's shoulders tighten and he squeezed them with his arm. He knew all too well what she must have been thinking and he hadn't meant to bring her back to that place.
"Me too." She whispered, running her hand up and down Harry's arm.
"I just couldn't not think about it. It was so much of the same scenario. And then it was like he knew what I was thinking. And." Harry paused, squeezing Ginny closer to him again, "the Crucious curse." Ginny carefully wrapped her arm around Harry's waist trying not to disturb his train of thought.
"He hit you with it, and used a body bind on Ron, and then the Imperius on Hermione.I was waiting for the last one to finish me off. Avada Kedavra. It never came though. He was playing with me. Using all three of you against me. Did you know he made Hermione curse me?" Ginny shook her head as she held Harry close to her, feeling him begin to shake. "She had no control over her actions, but knew it wasn't right. She fought it as much as she could. But she knew she was cursing me, and I knew I would have to stop her. That meant hurting her. He did that on purpose Gin. He knew I would never be able to hurt any of you, and he wanted to use that against me. Pettigrew was guarding you and to get to you I would have to do something to him. But what about Sirius?" Harry shuddered.
"It was like Voldemort knew all of my weaknesses and knew how to exploit them. I tried everything I knew of that couldn't hurt Hermione but, the Imperius Curse was too strong. I was able to dodge all of the curses she was forced to send my way because of her resistance to the curse, but it was so hard. And I was still trying to figure out how to get to you. Ginny, you were in so much pain. You just kept screaming." Harry looked down at Ginny. Obviously she knew how much she had been through, but Harry had been rambling, trying to get everything out at once. Ginny was shivering, and thinking of nothing else to do, Harry drew her into his lap and held her to him. He didn't know what had possessed him to do it, it just felt right.
"I had to make a choice between you and Pettigrew. I stunned Pettigrew and stopped the Crucious curse. You were so weak, and so hurt, and so pale. You looked so much like you had in the Chamber. I remember hoping that I had gotten to you in time. For the second time in my life, I was hoping you weren't dead." Harry ran his hands up and down Ginny's back, assuring himself that she really was there with him. Harry paused so long Ginny thought he wasn't going to continue, but after he collected his thoughts, he swallowed and began talking again.
"It was me against Hermione and Voldemort. Hermione was working really hard at stopping the Imperius Curse in her mind and her curses aimed at me were become less and less powerful. It was easier to block them and I could focus more on Voldemort. I tried ridding my head of any thought that he could use against me. I stopped thinking about you, Ron, Hermione, and Sirius and started focusing on Voldemort. If he could really read my mind, he wouldn't be able to do anything to himself. Hermione must have sensed this because she gathered up everything she had and broke through the Imperius Curse. I was blocking her path to Voldemort and he wasn't paying attention to her anyway. Something.changed. I could tell Hermione was her self again and I just knew what she was about to do. I waited with my wand raised, ready to duel again, until I knew she was ready. I don't know how I felt all this, but I did. I stepped aside and we both sent the Crucious Curse at Voldemort at the same time. It must have been too much for him in his weakened state. He crumpled to the floor and Hermione released Ron of the body bind and I grabbed you and we ran all the way back to Hogwarts." Harry trailed off. Ginny knew the rest; he didn't have to remind her.
She looked up at him with tears in her eyes, and he looked down at her, his green eyes watery as well.
"Do you feel any better?" She asked him. His thin-lipped mouth cracked into a slight grin.
"I do. Thank you Ginny." She nuzzled her head into his chest.
"No, thank you Harry. I've been so worried about you this summer. I've been talking to Hermione of course and she told me about being under the Imperius Curse, but it's still hard for her to talk about it. She feels so guilty about trying to hurt you, no matter how many times I tell her it wasn't her fault. I just thought you might need to talk. Let it all out. That helps a lot."
"Do you want to tell me what it was like for you?" Harry asked, knowing that for some reason it would kill him to hear about her being hurt. He couldn't understand his present state of mind when it came to Ginny Weasley, but he was willing to suffer this discomfort for her to gain a little peace about the end of last year. As Ginny began to speak, Harry hugged her to his chest, providing himself and her with comfort they both needed.
"All I remember is entering the cave and, like you, I couldn't believe how much it reminded me of the Chamber. I also wondered where Sirius was. He had sent for us and he wasn't there. He's always very careful where you are concerned Harry and it struck me as odd that he hadn't met us in the village." Harry sighed; he had been thinking the same things as Ginny that day. He later found out that Dumbledore had alerted Sirius that Voldemort was on the move and might know where he had been staying. Sirius had left, with Buckbeak, to find another hiding spot before Voldemort arrived. Harry hadn't heard of this yet when the letter had come, asking the four of them to visit him. It seemed Voldemort was always one step ahead. Harry realized that he had let his mind drift when he heard Ginny's voice continuing.
"There was just chaos. Pettigrew came after me immediately and put me under the Crucious Curse. I have never felt that much pain in my life before. It was like every bone in my body was being broken, every muscle being stretched to the breaking point, my head felt like it was going to explode and my chest felt like there was a fifty pound weight on it. And it just got worse the longer I was under it. Pettigrew must have been worried about it wearing off because he hit me with it again and everything I was feeling was intensified triple fold." Harry felt a surge of hatred and anger toward Pettigrew for putting Ginny in so much pain. "I had no clue what was going on around me. It took everything I had not to pass out and just let the curse get me. You know if you succumb to it, it can kill you." Ginny stopped and looked at Harry. He hadn't known that. His face scrunched up into a concentrated frown. She tipped his head and forced him to look into her eyes. "I'm fine. Look, feel, I'm okay. I'm right here, where I belong." Her voice trailed off and she looked away from Harry. He felt the implication of her words hit his chest and touch his heart. He knew he couldn't deny his feelings anymore and Ginny had just given him confirmation that she felt the same way. He let her continue though.
"I can remember the pain lifting somehow but I was just so tired and hurt, my body gave out on me. Next thing I remember I was in the hospital wing and my mum and dad were there. I was so scared Harry. I didn't know what had happened to you or Ron or Hermione. And I looked over at the bed next to me and you were looking back at me. Almost like you had been waiting for me to wake up."
"I had been." Harry whispered into her hair. He took a chance. He kissed the very top of her head. He heard a small sigh escape Ginny's mouth and his heart quickened. She looked up at him with questioning eyes.
"All summer long," he began, "I've been thinking about you.my." Harry paused collecting himself. He figured that he should just say what he felt. "My heart literally aches every time I think of you being hurt. And then I think about you being fine and I read your letters and I don't think I've ever been happier. Your letters were what I waited for. I was so." Harry searched for the right word, "depressed this summer. Your letters were what kept me from going out of my mind. Whenever I had a nightmare, I would read your letters over and over again. You remembered to send me food exactly when I thought I was going to go nutters from lack of it." Ginny had noticed how sickly skinny Harry had been when they went to get him, and she had been kicking herself ever since for not sending him more food. "Not that I didn't love hearing from Ron, Hermione, Sirius, and Hagrid, but your letters.they were so.special. I felt safe when I read them. I could loose myself in your life and dream about being somewhere other than the Dursleys." Harry stopped and looked at Ginny. She was looking at him with interest.
"What does that mean to you?" She asked quietly. She had never expected this reaction, but she would welcome it nonetheless.
"That's what I've been having trouble with, Gin. I was so confused about these feelings I have. And I couldn't figure out what was going on. And just now, everything came together. Everything fell into place. Ginny, I." Harry didn't quite know how to phrase this to her because he hadn't really worked out what he wanted to phrase. "You are a very special person to me. You have always been there for me. I am so grateful to you for that. And somewhere along last year and this summer, you've." Harry scowled; he was so bad at this. He wanted to tell her how much she meant to him, how she had captured his mind and his heart, how he.loved her. But he couldn't actually say those things to her. "Ginny, I." he began again.
Ginny smiled at him. "It's okay, I know what you mean." She whispered as she snaked her hands around the back of his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. He went willingly and noticed how bolts of energy where emanating through him. He had never felt anything like it before and he didn't want it to end. He wrapped his arms even tighter around her and deepened the kiss. She sighed into his mouth and Harry breathed in her breath as they parted their lips. He leaned his forehead on hers, keeping his eyes closed.
"I promise I'll get better at talking." He whispered.
"I think you're doing quite well." She whispered back and he felt her grin on his lips as they kissed again.
***
Time elapsed and Harry couldn't have figured out how long he and Ginny had been outside even if he wanted to. But he did come to his senses when he heard a throat being cleared. Unfortunately, it was a very familiar clear of the throat. Ginny jumped off of Harry's lap as she too recognized her brother.
"Well, we've found them, Hermione. We can all rest easy now. Let's go back." Harry was surprised by Ron's tone. It was utterly and completely.normal. Not a trace of anger, resentment, nothing.
"We were just" Harry began, but Ron cut him off.
"I can very well see what you were just doing Harry. I have eyes." Was that a teasing tone in Ron's voice? Harry was more than confused. "I would like to have a word with you though, if you don't mind. Privately."
Ah ha! Harry thought. Saving it all for when we are alone. "Sure Ron." Harry begrudgingly went in the direction of the very dark, very private, and very no-one-would-take-notice-of-a-dead-body-in-here shed that held Mr. Weasleys muggle trinkets. Hermione smiled at Ginny as she rose and joined in watching the boys walk to the shed.
"I think you have some explaining to do Ginny," was all Hermione said.
"He's not going to do something stupid like hit Harry or anything, is he?" Ginny asked, her temper threatening to flare.
"I don't think so. But it is Ron. Guess we'll just have to see now won't we?" Hermione sat down on the grass and patted the ground next to her. "Sit, talk, spill your guts." As uneasy as Ginny was watching Harry follow Ron, she knew in her heart of hearts everything would be fine. And if it wasn't, Ron would have to answer to a higher power - Ginny herself!
***
"Ron, it wasn't exactly what it looked like." Harry blurted out as Ron closed the door to the shed.
"I'm sure it wasn't. But then what was going on?" Ron crossed his arms over his chest casually and leaned against a shelf that had about three hundred wall sockets on it.
"Ginny and I were talking about what happened last year" Harry saw Ron flinch "and she just let me talk and talk and get it all out. And then she talked and I don't know what happened, but something just clicked. This whole summer I haven't been able to think about anything but her, Ron. I've been trying to figure it out. She's always on my mind and I can't stop it. She's so special and I" Harry stopped when he realized Ron's shoulders were shaking with suppressed laughter. "What?"
"You're rambling like I'm torturing you, Harry. Calm down. You've already said a few things I wanted to hear. Keep talking though."
Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing, but thought it better not to press his luck. "It feels right, Ron. I feel like I need her. That she needs me, and that we are supposed to be together. I spent this entire summer reading and rereading her letters. They bring me such comfort. She's so smart, and it's like she knows me. She knows what I need to hear or do or say and she draws it out of me. She is so.special." Harry repeated, not being able to think of anything that would do Ginny justice in his mind.
"You're right, mate. She is special. And she deserves the best." Ron stared pointedly at him. Suddenly, Ron's face softened. "You are my best mate, and I think I know you pretty well, Harry. I know my sister very well also. And I cannot think of anyone better suited for Ginny than you. I had a feeling something between you two would happen sooner or later." Harry's relief whooshed out of him in a long breath. Ron grinned. "But, if you hurt her, Harry, you have my promise that I will not be the only Weasley you will have to deal with." Harry wasn't sure if Ron was kidding or not, but he was willing to take this conversation at face value and ask no questions.
Author's Notes: There is no way I could have written this without the help and encouragement of a bunch of people. My alpha, Dellaran (who reminded me about sentence structure and the such (), my beta Jilly (who is both a constant support and such a great person to work with), my muse who invaded my head about 2 months ago with an idea that just wouldn't go away, and all of my friends in the I'm Too Old, But That Doesn't Stop Me (from ogling cutie teenaged actors) Club. You all keep me on my toes and keep me laughing!
Harry Potter surveyed his room at 4 Privet Drive. His books were strewn about, parchment rolls littered his desk by the dozens and there were at least five bottles of untouched ink waiting to be packed. His Hogwarts trunk was open on his bed and his closet was open. It was time to pack to go to the Burrow. And Harry was more than ready.
The summer had been more or less uneventful, if you discounted Dudley being on a strict exercise regiment that shook the house daily. Once, Harry had been writing a letter to Ron and the house was shaking so much, Ron's reply had been "You feeling okay, Harry? Your writing was shaky." Harry had to laugh to himself as he chose to tell Ron in person so that he could appreciate his friend's hearty laugh. He reckoned he would need it by the time he got to the Burrow. The Dursleys had made his summer unbearable yet again, forcing him to do chores until well after they were in bed and giving him little time to sleep. He was tired and anyone who looked at him could tell that he was being mistreated.
Harry smiled at his trunk with his tired eyes. He would be at the Burrow in a matter of hours. He would be seeing his friends, his family. The people who cared about him and his well being, probably even more than himself. And they meant the world to him as well.
Harry went to his closet and pulled out his Quidditch robes, a bright smile on his face as he remembered winning both the Quidditch Cup and House Cup his previous year. Fred and George had been co-captains and Ron had replaced Oliver Wood as the team's new Keeper. Yes, his fifth year had been a good one, with the exception of Death Eaters and Voldemort of course.
As Harry packed his robes into the trunk, he felt a flutter of excitement. He would be seeing Ginny that afternoon. They had been writing all summer to each other and their friendship had grown even more stable than it had the previous year. Harry couldn't deny that she had an effect on him, he just wasn't sure what that effect was or how she was going to play out in his life. He didn't really want to think on it all that much. Thinking just served to confuse him even more than he already was.
Looking at the clock, Harry hurried his pace, throwing his parchment, books and ink into the trunk. He picked up the loose floorboard and surveyed his stash of birthday treats that his friends had sent him. He put the things he could bring with him, Chocolate Frogs, truffles, Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans, and other miscellaneous candies into his trunk as well. The cakes were the only things left. He had a few pieces of each cake he had been sent left, but he didn't know what to do with them. Taking them out of their hiding spot, Harry surveyed their condition. They were a little worse for the wear and a bit stale. Harry shrugged, and threw them in the wastebasket. He felt extremely bad, but he was somewhat sick of them. They had been his main nourishment for a time, but one could only eat so much cake. Besides, Harry was looking forward to some of Mrs. Weasleys excellent cooking.
Harry threw the rest of his possessions into the trunk and looked around the room one last time. He had packed everything. Checking his watch, a new one that had been a present from Sirius the Christmas past, told him that he only had twenty minutes before the Weasleys came to get him. He assumed that it would be Mr. Weasley and Ron, the twins being absorbed in the grand opening of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. It stood to reason that Mrs. Weasley would be getting the house ready for Harry's arrival.
Harry brought down his wastebasket as discreetly as possible, went outside to the trashcan and threw the cakes out, covering them with a few old newspapers for good measure. He replaced the wastebasket liner and brought it back upstairs. He then closed and locked his trunk and began the trek downstairs with it. It banged and clattered against each stair, too heavy to lift.
"Stop with that RACKET, Potter! You'll bring the HOUSE DOWN!" Uncle Vernon screamed out from his well-worn chair in the living room.
Harry shook his head in utter disgust. He would bring the house down with his trunk? What about Dudley making the walls quiver whenever he exercised?
"Going to the Burrow, going to the Burrow." Harry muttered as he took a deep breath and forced himself not to say what he really wanted to. Harry disregarded his uncle's warnings, clunked the trunk down the last five or so steps, and dragged it over to the fireplace.
"Those people," Uncle Vernon began, spitting the word at Harry, showering him with saliva, "will be here soon?"
Harry wiped his face with his sleeve and took off his glasses, cleaning them off as well. "The Weasleys will be here in a few minutes. If you don't want to talk to them, then you can leave." He muttered forcefully, never liking the way that the Durley's spoke of or to the Weasleys.
"And let them have free run of our house, I think not!"
A purple vein popped out of the top of Uncle Vernon's forehead as he yelled. Harry rolled his eyes, but actually thought that might be for the best. He wasn't sure what Mr. Weasley would do in a Muggle house with no one there to stop his prodding. Harry smiled at the thought. He would have a great time explaining, or trying to explain, Muggle items to Mr. Weasley.
As he was thinking this, Harry took out the fireplace candelabra and placed it on the floor next to the hearth. He looked up into the chimney and inspected the fireplace for anything else that might obstruct the Weasleys from using the Floo Network. Uncle Vernon watched him carefully.
"They are coming through the fireplace again I suppose." He muttered as he flipped his paper up to cover his face.
"Would you rather them just appear in the front yard?" Harry countered. He could see the steam rising from the top of Uncle Vernon's head. Harry smiled smugly and waited for the retort Uncle Vernon never gave. Feeling triumphant, Harry ran back upstairs to grab Hedwig's cage. She was off delivering a letter to Sirius for him and he had told her to meet him at The Burrow. He skipped down the stairs, giddy to be leaving, and placed the cage on one end of the trunk. He sat down on the other end and waited.
For the first time ever in Weasley history, they were on time. A little early even, by Harry's watch, but he wasn't complaining. Harry watched in awe at the fluorescent green flames that burst into the fireplace on their own, announcing the arrival. Harry smiled broadly and stood up, Uncle Vernon clutched at his heart. Mr. Weasley and Ron stepped out of the fireplace one at a time, and each greeted him.
"Harry! Good to see you!" Mr. Weasley said as he clapped Harry on the shoulder, much like he did to his own sons. Harry smiled up at Mr. Weasley. Even though Harry was a tall sixteen-year-old, he was still shorter than all of the Weasley men.
"You too, Mr. Weasley!" He said, and then he addressed his best friend. "Hi Ron!" Ron beamed at Harry. He took great pleasure in the fact that he was always there to help Harry out of the dreaded Dursley household and Harry was grateful to him for it. Their friendship was one that didn't need many explanations, it just was. Harry reached down and grabbed Hedwig's cage, about to throw it into the fireplace. Ron's arm reached out to stop him.
"Wait, someone else is coming." He said with an odd look in his eyes that for once, Harry couldn't decipher. It looked like a cross between elation and irritability. And it confused Harry. He felt the cool prickle of flames against his legs and heard the loud WHOOSH and turned around to see who was arriving.
Harry's eyes widened and his jaw went slack when he saw Ginny Weasley step out of the flames. She was a bit taller than he remembered her to be, her hair was longer, more of a rusty color than red, and she was, in a word, breathtaking. Harry stood dumbfounded for a few seconds.
"Well go on. You are leaving aren't you?" He heard Uncle Vernon say. Abruptly, Harry was shaken out of his daze. He turned onto his uncle.
"Good-bye." Was all he said as he handed Ginny the cage with a smile and he and Ron picked up the trunk. Ginny went first, then Ron, standing next to the trunk. Harry stepped into the fireplace and took some floo powder from Mr. Weasleys outstretched hand. Uncle Vernon was trying not to look at them, but Harry could tell he actually was.
"Say goodbye to your nephew." Mr. Weasleys voice held an authoritative remember-what-happened-last-time tone to it. Harry smirked at Uncle Vernon being forced to be nice to him.
"Goodbye." Uncle Vernon said curtly, never once pulling the paper away from his face. Mr. Weasley shrugged, figuring that was as good as he was going to get and followed after Harry back to the Burrow.
***
Harry smiled into the warm sunshine that was cascading onto Diagon Alley. He, Hermione and the Weasleys were shopping for school supplies. Harry couldn't help but sneak glances over at Ginny as she talked with Hermione about one girly thing or another. He had found that it was hard to not look at her. She was always smiling, her personality bubbling out of her. He loved her personality. It was cheerful, full of life, funny, infectious. She was oozing confidence that Harry could only assume had come from facing Voldemort and coming out alive. Ron said she had been acting like this all summer. Harry was beginning to think that it wasn't a passing stage in Ginny's life, but that she had finally grown into who she wanted to be. He had never seen her looking more radiant than when the sunlight was shining behind her, her hair illuminated in a soft glow, her eyes light up by the brilliant smile she was wearing.
Harry shook his head. Since when had he become a poet? He wasn't acting like his normal self around Ginny. He was tripping over his words, stuttering especially when talking with Ginny. Hermione kept looking at him with that you-can't-fool-me look on her face that Harry could have done without. If he had been honest with himself, he would have seen that he was acting exactly like Ginny had in her second year. Merlin help him! Shaking himself out of his daydream, Harry noticed that they were stopped in front of Flourish and Blotts.
"Now, we'll meet back here in two hours." Mrs. Weasley smiled at the four kids and she and Mr. Weasley headed off in the direction of the Leaky Cauldron for an afternoon butterbeer.
"Well, what should we do?" Hermione asked, looking longingly at the scores of books in the store behind Harry and Ron.
"Ice cream?" Ginny asked, her impish grin lighting her face. Harry nodded enthusiastically. Ron scrunched his face. Hermione laughed.
They sat down for some ice cream and little conversation, spending the majority of their first hour talking with each other.
"So, did you hear that we don't have a Muggle Studies professor anymore, Hermione?" Ginny asked around a mouthful of whipped cream. Hermione looked positively horrified. She had been unable to resist the topic in her fifth year and taken it up again. Much to the dismay of Professor Trelawny, most of her Divination class had also not been able to resist the topic and many asked to transfer to Muggle Studies
"What?" she squeaked.
"Professor Rapunze decided to retire while he still could. I guess you didn't hear whose taking over until we get a permanent professor." Ginny said gloomily.
"Who?"
"Professor Snape."
"What?" Hermione's repeated word was shrilly said this time, causing a few looks from other patrons. Ron and Harry had been quietly listening to this conversation while eating their ice cream, but Ron could no longer be quiet.
"That man knows no more about Muggles than I do about." he looked perplexed. "Give me something I don't know anything about, Harry."
"Divination?" Harry supplied. Ron looked at him and Harry shrugged, going back to his ice cream.
"Anyway, he's only a substitute, right Ginny? It won't be long before they find a proper professor." Hermione said sensibly, though she looked thoroughly shaken by the news. Ginny shrugged. "At least we have each other." Hermione mused into the soup that she had turned her ice cream into by stirring. Ginny had excelled in Muggle Studies and because of the year lapse in the subject for Hermione and many of her classmates, Ginny was in Muggle Studies with the sixth years.
The four finished their ice cream and walked out into the sunshine again. They walked past many of their fellow Hogwarts students, exchanging greetings of hello, and found themselves in front of Quality Quidditch Supplies.
"Let's go?" Ron asked and they all entered, looking at the different kinds of brooms as they walked in. The Keeper section of the store near the front caught Ron's attention, while Harry made a beeline for the back section labeled SEEKER SUPPLIES.
He was looking at a bottle of Grip-N-Go powder that kept the Snitch from sliding out of your grip once it had been caught when he felt a hand on his arm. He looked into Ginny's smiling face and cracked a bright smile of his own.
"We really haven't had the chance to catch up with each other since you got here, Harry," she said, her hand still lightly grasping his elbow. His smile faltered as the fluttering in his stomach increased. If she noticed, she said nothing about it. "Would you like to go for a walk around the garden tonight? Just us? Catch up on things."
Harry was able to find his voice long enough to squeak a quick 'yes' and she smiled even more deeply at him. She raised herself onto the balls of her feet, gave him a small peck on the cheek and bounced back down. She squeezed his elbow for effect before she took off to find Hermione. Harry blinked a few times and tried to pull himself out of the clouds in his head.
"You getting that?" He heard Ron ask him. Harry had to grapple with what Ron was talking about, but he looked down and saw the Grip-N-Go in his tightly fisted hand. He shook his head no and placed it back on the counter.
"Let's go, I think we're going to be late." He said, consulting his watch.
"Yeah." Ron was looking excited. "Harry! They have the best grip gloves over there! I can't wait until I own a pair!" Harry filed that piece of information in place reserved for Christmas and Birthdays in his mind and they set out to find Hermione and Ginny.
***
After the dinner dishes had been cleared and the sink had been charmed to wash them, Harry and Ginny started out of the house for their walk. Harry felt himself the most relaxed that he had been since he had come to the Burrow.
"So, how was your summer, really, Harry?" Ginny asked, as they stopped by the edge of the stream and sat down. Harry contemplated this question as he picked at the stands of grass.
"Could have been better, could have been worse." He finally answered. Ginny nodded slightly.
"Would you like to talk about it, or let it go?" Her tone was very gentle and he knew she was talking about last year and how it had affected him this summer. She placed a hand gently on Harry's arm, giving him a feeling of both security and support. Ginny tilted her head slightly when he looked at her; in a way he found oddly endearing. He smiled at her and began to slowly nod yes.
"I've never had to fight so hard in my life." Harry started softly. Ginny leaned her torso closer to hear him, sensing that was the better alternative then asking him to speak up. Harry continued. "I've never been more scared of anything. It was like he knew what I was thinking at any given moment, like he was in my mind." Harry shuddered. Ginny closed her eyes, but Harry noticed a single tear roll down her cheek. She knew too well what it was like to have someone know how your mind worked and how to manipulate you through it. Without even thinking about it, Harry slipped his arm around her and pulled her closer to him.
"I'm sorry, Harry. This isn't about me." She said weakly into his shoulder where she had rested her head.
"This is about all of us, Ginny. We all know what it's like to fight Voldemort. You, me, Ron, Hermione. We all know." Harry's words comforted Ginny in a way that he hadn't meant them too, but he felt her relax against him. This encouraged him.
"He lured us all into that cave, and you know what I was thinking the entire time?" Harry asked, reminding Ginny of the cave outside of Hogsmeade in which Sirius had been residing in since his escape from Azkaban. Ginny shook her head and looked up at Harry.
"The Chamber of Secrets." Harry answered dully. He felt Ginny's shoulders tighten and he squeezed them with his arm. He knew all too well what she must have been thinking and he hadn't meant to bring her back to that place.
"Me too." She whispered, running her hand up and down Harry's arm.
"I just couldn't not think about it. It was so much of the same scenario. And then it was like he knew what I was thinking. And." Harry paused, squeezing Ginny closer to him again, "the Crucious curse." Ginny carefully wrapped her arm around Harry's waist trying not to disturb his train of thought.
"He hit you with it, and used a body bind on Ron, and then the Imperius on Hermione.I was waiting for the last one to finish me off. Avada Kedavra. It never came though. He was playing with me. Using all three of you against me. Did you know he made Hermione curse me?" Ginny shook her head as she held Harry close to her, feeling him begin to shake. "She had no control over her actions, but knew it wasn't right. She fought it as much as she could. But she knew she was cursing me, and I knew I would have to stop her. That meant hurting her. He did that on purpose Gin. He knew I would never be able to hurt any of you, and he wanted to use that against me. Pettigrew was guarding you and to get to you I would have to do something to him. But what about Sirius?" Harry shuddered.
"It was like Voldemort knew all of my weaknesses and knew how to exploit them. I tried everything I knew of that couldn't hurt Hermione but, the Imperius Curse was too strong. I was able to dodge all of the curses she was forced to send my way because of her resistance to the curse, but it was so hard. And I was still trying to figure out how to get to you. Ginny, you were in so much pain. You just kept screaming." Harry looked down at Ginny. Obviously she knew how much she had been through, but Harry had been rambling, trying to get everything out at once. Ginny was shivering, and thinking of nothing else to do, Harry drew her into his lap and held her to him. He didn't know what had possessed him to do it, it just felt right.
"I had to make a choice between you and Pettigrew. I stunned Pettigrew and stopped the Crucious curse. You were so weak, and so hurt, and so pale. You looked so much like you had in the Chamber. I remember hoping that I had gotten to you in time. For the second time in my life, I was hoping you weren't dead." Harry ran his hands up and down Ginny's back, assuring himself that she really was there with him. Harry paused so long Ginny thought he wasn't going to continue, but after he collected his thoughts, he swallowed and began talking again.
"It was me against Hermione and Voldemort. Hermione was working really hard at stopping the Imperius Curse in her mind and her curses aimed at me were become less and less powerful. It was easier to block them and I could focus more on Voldemort. I tried ridding my head of any thought that he could use against me. I stopped thinking about you, Ron, Hermione, and Sirius and started focusing on Voldemort. If he could really read my mind, he wouldn't be able to do anything to himself. Hermione must have sensed this because she gathered up everything she had and broke through the Imperius Curse. I was blocking her path to Voldemort and he wasn't paying attention to her anyway. Something.changed. I could tell Hermione was her self again and I just knew what she was about to do. I waited with my wand raised, ready to duel again, until I knew she was ready. I don't know how I felt all this, but I did. I stepped aside and we both sent the Crucious Curse at Voldemort at the same time. It must have been too much for him in his weakened state. He crumpled to the floor and Hermione released Ron of the body bind and I grabbed you and we ran all the way back to Hogwarts." Harry trailed off. Ginny knew the rest; he didn't have to remind her.
She looked up at him with tears in her eyes, and he looked down at her, his green eyes watery as well.
"Do you feel any better?" She asked him. His thin-lipped mouth cracked into a slight grin.
"I do. Thank you Ginny." She nuzzled her head into his chest.
"No, thank you Harry. I've been so worried about you this summer. I've been talking to Hermione of course and she told me about being under the Imperius Curse, but it's still hard for her to talk about it. She feels so guilty about trying to hurt you, no matter how many times I tell her it wasn't her fault. I just thought you might need to talk. Let it all out. That helps a lot."
"Do you want to tell me what it was like for you?" Harry asked, knowing that for some reason it would kill him to hear about her being hurt. He couldn't understand his present state of mind when it came to Ginny Weasley, but he was willing to suffer this discomfort for her to gain a little peace about the end of last year. As Ginny began to speak, Harry hugged her to his chest, providing himself and her with comfort they both needed.
"All I remember is entering the cave and, like you, I couldn't believe how much it reminded me of the Chamber. I also wondered where Sirius was. He had sent for us and he wasn't there. He's always very careful where you are concerned Harry and it struck me as odd that he hadn't met us in the village." Harry sighed; he had been thinking the same things as Ginny that day. He later found out that Dumbledore had alerted Sirius that Voldemort was on the move and might know where he had been staying. Sirius had left, with Buckbeak, to find another hiding spot before Voldemort arrived. Harry hadn't heard of this yet when the letter had come, asking the four of them to visit him. It seemed Voldemort was always one step ahead. Harry realized that he had let his mind drift when he heard Ginny's voice continuing.
"There was just chaos. Pettigrew came after me immediately and put me under the Crucious Curse. I have never felt that much pain in my life before. It was like every bone in my body was being broken, every muscle being stretched to the breaking point, my head felt like it was going to explode and my chest felt like there was a fifty pound weight on it. And it just got worse the longer I was under it. Pettigrew must have been worried about it wearing off because he hit me with it again and everything I was feeling was intensified triple fold." Harry felt a surge of hatred and anger toward Pettigrew for putting Ginny in so much pain. "I had no clue what was going on around me. It took everything I had not to pass out and just let the curse get me. You know if you succumb to it, it can kill you." Ginny stopped and looked at Harry. He hadn't known that. His face scrunched up into a concentrated frown. She tipped his head and forced him to look into her eyes. "I'm fine. Look, feel, I'm okay. I'm right here, where I belong." Her voice trailed off and she looked away from Harry. He felt the implication of her words hit his chest and touch his heart. He knew he couldn't deny his feelings anymore and Ginny had just given him confirmation that she felt the same way. He let her continue though.
"I can remember the pain lifting somehow but I was just so tired and hurt, my body gave out on me. Next thing I remember I was in the hospital wing and my mum and dad were there. I was so scared Harry. I didn't know what had happened to you or Ron or Hermione. And I looked over at the bed next to me and you were looking back at me. Almost like you had been waiting for me to wake up."
"I had been." Harry whispered into her hair. He took a chance. He kissed the very top of her head. He heard a small sigh escape Ginny's mouth and his heart quickened. She looked up at him with questioning eyes.
"All summer long," he began, "I've been thinking about you.my." Harry paused collecting himself. He figured that he should just say what he felt. "My heart literally aches every time I think of you being hurt. And then I think about you being fine and I read your letters and I don't think I've ever been happier. Your letters were what I waited for. I was so." Harry searched for the right word, "depressed this summer. Your letters were what kept me from going out of my mind. Whenever I had a nightmare, I would read your letters over and over again. You remembered to send me food exactly when I thought I was going to go nutters from lack of it." Ginny had noticed how sickly skinny Harry had been when they went to get him, and she had been kicking herself ever since for not sending him more food. "Not that I didn't love hearing from Ron, Hermione, Sirius, and Hagrid, but your letters.they were so.special. I felt safe when I read them. I could loose myself in your life and dream about being somewhere other than the Dursleys." Harry stopped and looked at Ginny. She was looking at him with interest.
"What does that mean to you?" She asked quietly. She had never expected this reaction, but she would welcome it nonetheless.
"That's what I've been having trouble with, Gin. I was so confused about these feelings I have. And I couldn't figure out what was going on. And just now, everything came together. Everything fell into place. Ginny, I." Harry didn't quite know how to phrase this to her because he hadn't really worked out what he wanted to phrase. "You are a very special person to me. You have always been there for me. I am so grateful to you for that. And somewhere along last year and this summer, you've." Harry scowled; he was so bad at this. He wanted to tell her how much she meant to him, how she had captured his mind and his heart, how he.loved her. But he couldn't actually say those things to her. "Ginny, I." he began again.
Ginny smiled at him. "It's okay, I know what you mean." She whispered as she snaked her hands around the back of his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. He went willingly and noticed how bolts of energy where emanating through him. He had never felt anything like it before and he didn't want it to end. He wrapped his arms even tighter around her and deepened the kiss. She sighed into his mouth and Harry breathed in her breath as they parted their lips. He leaned his forehead on hers, keeping his eyes closed.
"I promise I'll get better at talking." He whispered.
"I think you're doing quite well." She whispered back and he felt her grin on his lips as they kissed again.
***
Time elapsed and Harry couldn't have figured out how long he and Ginny had been outside even if he wanted to. But he did come to his senses when he heard a throat being cleared. Unfortunately, it was a very familiar clear of the throat. Ginny jumped off of Harry's lap as she too recognized her brother.
"Well, we've found them, Hermione. We can all rest easy now. Let's go back." Harry was surprised by Ron's tone. It was utterly and completely.normal. Not a trace of anger, resentment, nothing.
"We were just" Harry began, but Ron cut him off.
"I can very well see what you were just doing Harry. I have eyes." Was that a teasing tone in Ron's voice? Harry was more than confused. "I would like to have a word with you though, if you don't mind. Privately."
Ah ha! Harry thought. Saving it all for when we are alone. "Sure Ron." Harry begrudgingly went in the direction of the very dark, very private, and very no-one-would-take-notice-of-a-dead-body-in-here shed that held Mr. Weasleys muggle trinkets. Hermione smiled at Ginny as she rose and joined in watching the boys walk to the shed.
"I think you have some explaining to do Ginny," was all Hermione said.
"He's not going to do something stupid like hit Harry or anything, is he?" Ginny asked, her temper threatening to flare.
"I don't think so. But it is Ron. Guess we'll just have to see now won't we?" Hermione sat down on the grass and patted the ground next to her. "Sit, talk, spill your guts." As uneasy as Ginny was watching Harry follow Ron, she knew in her heart of hearts everything would be fine. And if it wasn't, Ron would have to answer to a higher power - Ginny herself!
***
"Ron, it wasn't exactly what it looked like." Harry blurted out as Ron closed the door to the shed.
"I'm sure it wasn't. But then what was going on?" Ron crossed his arms over his chest casually and leaned against a shelf that had about three hundred wall sockets on it.
"Ginny and I were talking about what happened last year" Harry saw Ron flinch "and she just let me talk and talk and get it all out. And then she talked and I don't know what happened, but something just clicked. This whole summer I haven't been able to think about anything but her, Ron. I've been trying to figure it out. She's always on my mind and I can't stop it. She's so special and I" Harry stopped when he realized Ron's shoulders were shaking with suppressed laughter. "What?"
"You're rambling like I'm torturing you, Harry. Calm down. You've already said a few things I wanted to hear. Keep talking though."
Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing, but thought it better not to press his luck. "It feels right, Ron. I feel like I need her. That she needs me, and that we are supposed to be together. I spent this entire summer reading and rereading her letters. They bring me such comfort. She's so smart, and it's like she knows me. She knows what I need to hear or do or say and she draws it out of me. She is so.special." Harry repeated, not being able to think of anything that would do Ginny justice in his mind.
"You're right, mate. She is special. And she deserves the best." Ron stared pointedly at him. Suddenly, Ron's face softened. "You are my best mate, and I think I know you pretty well, Harry. I know my sister very well also. And I cannot think of anyone better suited for Ginny than you. I had a feeling something between you two would happen sooner or later." Harry's relief whooshed out of him in a long breath. Ron grinned. "But, if you hurt her, Harry, you have my promise that I will not be the only Weasley you will have to deal with." Harry wasn't sure if Ron was kidding or not, but he was willing to take this conversation at face value and ask no questions.
Author's Notes: There is no way I could have written this without the help and encouragement of a bunch of people. My alpha, Dellaran (who reminded me about sentence structure and the such (), my beta Jilly (who is both a constant support and such a great person to work with), my muse who invaded my head about 2 months ago with an idea that just wouldn't go away, and all of my friends in the I'm Too Old, But That Doesn't Stop Me (from ogling cutie teenaged actors) Club. You all keep me on my toes and keep me laughing!
