Of Nostalgia, Produce, and Doubts

It was over. Thank God it was all over. For Ginny Weasley, a life and world that was free from the oppressive shadow of Voldemort seemed to have been one that would be reality only in the darkest and deepest hopes that she kept tucked away inside of her. And now, finally, she could lift her face to the sky, feel the sun warm her fair skin, and delight once more in the sights and sounds around her. It seemed almost as if she was waking from a dream. In fact, most every individual who called the Wizarding world home felt as if they themselves had been reborn into a new world of light.

Unfortunately, the last vestiges of Voldemort's reign of terror still intruded somewhat into this brave new world. So many had been lost in the war…so many that Ginny held near and dear to her heart. As always when she thought of the casualties, a worn and weathered tome seemed to appear in her mind's eye, listing each person's name, how they died, and a picture of their smiling face, assuring Ginny that, given the chance, they would sacrifice themselves once again in order to bring those horrid dark days to an end. With a bittersweet smile to herself, Ginny turned to go back in to the Burrow, determined not to let dark thoughts ruin her summer before returning for her final year at Hogwarts.

Strangely, or perhaps not so strange, the thought of her final year at Hogwarts seemed to bring sad rather than excited thoughts. Ginny immediately knew the reason why. It wasn't because she disliked school. Truth be told, none of the Weasley children really disliked school, although from the way Ron put on about it, one could never guess as much. Even Fred and George enjoyed school, even if they did seem to view it more as an opportunity to see how far they could push the limits of mischief than a place to achieve higher learning.

"We see school as a prime opportunity to develop a more shall-we-say, practical education in life," Fred would say with a grin.

"Spoken like a true poet and scholar!" George agreed.

"Well of course, I am a rather deep person…full of wisdom and insight!" Fred quipped with a slightly puffed out chest.

"I don't know about wisdom and insight, but you tend to be full of dung most of the time," George would slyly state, being the cue for the beginning of a rather impromptu wrestling match between the duo.

As Ginny recalled this frequent exchange, she couldn't help the large lump that seemed to creep up in her throat. Fred. Dear sweet Fred. He was lost to them, having been killed during the final battle at Hogwarts earlier that year. So many…so many she loved…

Ginny shook her head once again, trying to dispel the sadness as she focused on the truth, she knew Hogwarts would never been the same for her. As she walked into the kitchen of her childhood home, she saw that two of the reasons for school never being the same were sitting together at the table with a big bowl of grapes.

Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, couple at last, seemed to be playing some sort of romantic eating game with each other. Ginny said nothing and watched with a slight smile as the two carried on, oblivious to everything around them.

Hermione would pluck a juicy grape from the bowl and place it lightly into Ron's open mouth. He would then slowly close his mouth swallowing the grape given him, but not before sucking on Hermione's proffered finger. Eyes locked on each other, they then swapped roles, Ron choosing an especially plump grape for the expectant Hermione. However, before completing the action, Ron chose to modify his tactics a bit, instead lightly brushing the fruit across his girlfriend's lips. Ginny could see the shudder that ran through Hermione as she gasped and closed her eyes while Ron continued to gently move the grape around her lips.

Ginny had to give Ron some credit. He had grown up quite quickly when it came to things Hermione-related. She had always thought that he was a bit of an idiot when it came to girls, but Ron had fooled her totally by hiding quite a romantic side underneath. But now, she felt her mischievous side light up and she just couldn't help but break up this little love party.

"Oi, Ron! If you don't hurry up and feed her that grape, it's going to dry out and turn into a raisin!"

Her outburst got the desired response as Hermione's eyes flew open with a squeak and Ron accidentally squeezed the plump grape, spraying juice all over his girlfriend's shocked face.

Blushing to his very roots, Ron yelled at his sister, "Bloody hell Ginny! Can't you see we're trying to have an afternoon snack in peace?"

Ginny, who was convulsing with mirth replied, "I don't know if I'd call you and Hermione getting on an intimate first name basis with produce 'an afternoon snack'."

At this point Ginny had to beat a hasty retreat as both Ron and Hermione began to pelt her with the remaining grapes in the bowl.

As she ran up the stairs towards the relative safety of her room she overheard her mother, who apparently had just found the disaster in the kitchen.

"Ronald Weasley! I spent all morning getting this kitchen clean as a whistle and I come in here to find you throwing fruit around like a monkey! Well you are going to clean all this up right now AND do the dishes this evening!"

"But MUM!" Ron's voice was priceless. "Ginny…"

"Don't try and shirk things off on your sister. Now hop to it!"

Cackling to herself as she reached her room, Ginny stepped inside, quite content with her little act of mischief and almost had a moment of total happiness before reality came back to her, as it often does so well.

Her thoughts, aided by the encounter with her brother and Hermione downstairs, led her to the next obvious person on her mind. Harry. She shut the door to her room and made her way over to the bed which had been a place of comfort all her life. It was a comfortable temperature both outside and in the Burrow, but Ginny climbed under the covers nevertheless, finding solace in this simple routine as she thought over the young wizard who had captured her heart as easily as a one-winged Snitch.

Harry. Her heart still ached for him and his presence. No one was sure what had happened to him after the final battle. It seemed that things were finally over and his inner demons had been quelled, but soon after his discussion with the portrait of Dumbledore and his relinquishing of the Elder Wand, Harry disappeared and hadn't been heard from since. Of course, Ginny had been distraught, and it had only been through the combined efforts of Ron, Hermione, and Molly Weasley that she had been prevented from leaving to turn the world upside down in search of her love. She spent the next few weeks shut away in her room, treating those around her with a cold indifference that hurt them to the quick. Only after an admonishing, but gentle conversation from her older brother Bill did she realize that she was being unfair to those who were concerned about her and rejoined her family, asking their forgiveness.

That had been what seemed like ages ago, and now the summer was drawing to a close and she found that her birthday would be tomorrow. As much as she tried not to worry about Harry and what had gone wrong that would cause him to leave her again, she was soon becoming afraid that he might never be coming back. No one had heard a single word from him all this time. Everyone tried to move on with their lives as best they could, but how could she? Harry was her cornerstone and she had been deprived of that.

It was this that was the core of what made her sad. She had never known Hogwarts without her Harry. Sure, he was gone last year as they searched for the Dark Lord's Horcruxes, but she knew the Golden Trio were together and they could keep each other safe. Now it was just Harry, all alone, with no one to turn to. Her imagination magnified his pitiful condition and her heart began to ache with longing to comfort her love. Tears overcame her as she curled beneath the comforter that, just then, brought less comfort than it used too.

It was at this moment that a frazzled Hermione burst into her room without knocking.

"Ginny! How could you be so mean? Now poor Ron has to clean up that horrid mess that you know you good and well instiga-" she stopped mid-sentence as she suddenly realize the state Ginny was in. "Ginny? Are you alright?"

Ginny looked at her best friend for a second before bursting into fresh tears. "Oh Her- Her- mione! Why won't he come b-b-back to m-m-me?"

With a suddenly sympathetic and knowing look, Hermione shut and locked the door behind her before coming over and sitting down next to Ginny's shaking body. She began stroking the young witch's luxurious red hair as she thought for a moment.

"Ginny, I'm not certain, but I think that Harry needs some time to process all that's happened this past year. So much has happened as I'm sure you are completely aware."

Ginny nodded as tears continued to flow freely. "But why couldn't he be here with me to do it? I could h-h-help him."

Hermione smiled down at her, "I know you could, but he has to do it this way for some reason. I do know one thing for certain though."

"W-what?"

"He's going to come back to you Ginny. He loves you too much not to."

Ginny snuffled. "Really?"

"Oh come now Ginny. You know it for a fact. I've seen the way he looks at you, not to mention how he seems like a totally different person when he's around you."

"I don't know why I let it affect me like I do Hermione. He's left me twice now."

"It's because you love him Ginevra Weasley, and don't even think about saying that you don't because I know you do. Every tear you cry is for Harry. You are so selfless that you never think about yourself, only Harry. You've never really grieved for Fred or Colin or anyone else. Only Harry. You give everything you have for him and keep nothing for yourself. If I might say so it's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," Hermione said with a bit of awe in her voice.

Ginny knew deep down that her best friend was right. It always helped when Hermione was around to talk to. And she always seemed to feel better after she had a good cry. Yes, she definitely felt much better now. Perhaps, she thought with a touch of amusement, she might even go down and help Ron finish cleaning the kitchen.

"Thank you Hermione. You always know the right thing to say when I'm a mess like this," she said as Hermione flushed with pleasure. "Oh, and I'm sorry about bringing your snack session with Ron to a quick close."

Hermione giggled and looked a tad guilty, "It's okay Ginny. Actually I'm glad it was you and not your mum that caught us. I probably would have died of embarrassment right then and there."

"For a second I thought you actually were going to," Ginny replied as the two laughed.

Suddenly, both girls jumped as a rapping sound startled them out of their conversation. Ginny hurried over to the window and opened it wide, admitting into her room something she thought she'd never see again. A beautiful white snowy owl flew into her room and landed on her bedpost, extending its leg. Hermione let out a gasp as Ginny stared at the owl in disbelief. "H-H-Hedwig?" Ginny stammered.

The owl hooted in what seemed to be a negative response and hopped up and down, still with its leg outstretched. Ginny walked trembling over to the anxious owl. Slowly she looked down at the outstretched leg and saw a small package clutched tightly in its claw. Afraid of just what this meant, Ginny hesitated.

"Take it Ginny," Hermione whispered.

Slowly, Ginny reached out and took hold of the package, which the snowy owl released from its grip as soon as Ginny placed her hand upon it. Having completed its task, the owl gave a satisfied hoot and flew at once out the window.

For what seemed like ages, Ginny just stood there holding the package in her hands as she stared at it. Finally, Hermione could take it no longer and burst out, "Are you going to open it or do I have to?"

Shaken out of her reverie, Ginny nodded and began to remove the nondescript brown packaging. Once unwrapped, Ginny opened the box to examine the contents. Upon looking inside she let out a strangled gasp and dropped the package on the ground.

"Ginny! What's wrong? Who is it from?" Hermione asked in growing concern.

Ginny was trembling fiercely now, she had seen what was resting inside the package and she had seen the note tucked next to it as well. She knew the handwriting on the paper as if it were her very own. She placed a hand to her now fluttering heart as she slowly turned to her wide-eyed best friend.

"Harry… It's from Harry."