Chapter 1: Tension at the Burrow

It was a blistering hot day at the burrow. Harry and Hermione had just arrived a few days ago and now were all looking forward to going into their next year at Hogwarts.

Everyone was swimming in the lake beside the Burrow except for Harry, who was sitting close by under the shade of a tree, reading a book Hermione had lent him.

"Come on in Harry! You're going to melt out there," yelled Fred who was swimming away unsuccessfully from George who was trying to dunk him under water.

Harry promptly shook his head and continued reading.

Ginny was getting frustrated with Harry. Why wasn't he coming in the water? Wasn't he hot? She thought to herself as she slowly walked up to the tree Harry was sitting under and talk to him.

"Hey Harry! Why won't you come in the water with us? Even Hermione has decided to come in. Now Ron's looking at her like a sick little puppy. Bit gross if you ask me," said Ginny as she sat next to Harry.

"No, I'm fine, really! I'm just really interested in this book,' said Harry unconvincingly.

"Harry! You're lying. I can see it in your eyes. You look really bored anyways. I'm sure if you don't have a swimsuit we have one you could borrow, "said Ginny sensing this was the problem.

Harry smiled at her and shook his head once more.

"Thanks. But, I'm fine really. You better go back it looks like everyone is missing you. I'll be fine really," reassured Harry, as he continued to read his book.

Ginny got up and gave one last glance at Harry and walked back to the lake.

"He won't come in," answered Ginny to all the curious faces, "I have no idea why. He says he's into the book he's reading." Ginny added as she jumped into the lake, splashing everyone as she did so.

"Hey!" everyone exclaimed at once.

"Sorry."

"That's okay, little sis. We we're just talking about are young Harry over there," said George happily as he pointed his index finger towards Harry, "We as in Fred and I, Are planning on getting him in here whether he likes it or not." finished George, with an evil smirk on his face.

"He doesn't want to come in. I'm sure he'll come in if he wants to," said Ginny seriously, trying to change their plan to attack Harry.

"No, no, no. We have it all planned out. Just watch!" demanded Fred as both twins swam fast out of the water and made their way toward Harry.

Hermione swam towards Ginny a couple moments later noticing that Fred and George were missing. "What's going on? Where did Fred and George go off too?" asked Hermione as she kept glancing back a Ron a few feet away who was about to dive in the lake.

"Fred and George have a plan to get Harry in here. I'm worried, they look far to excited about it," Ginny responded with a sigh, as she saw Fred and George plop down next to Harry with evil grins on their face.

"Well, I would be worried to-Ah!" Hermione's sentence was cut off by her body suddenly being plummeted underwater.

Hermione popped up seconds later with her arms around Ron, who were both laughing heavily.

"Ronald Weasley! How dare-! Hermione's sentence was cut off again by Ron placing his wet lips against hers and they suddenly were very interested in each other. Hermione had obviously forgiven Ron.

Ginny watched Fred and George in silence; they were trying to persuade Harry to come in.

"Fred and George can be such gits sometimes. Can't they?" Ginny asked Ron and Hermione, but getting no response made her turn around to notice they had gotten out of the lake and were passionately kissing far away underneath a tree.

Ginny was disgusted. "Ewww! That is something I do not want to see." She said out loud to no one in particular.

She glanced back at Harry who was shaking his head no and was trying to keep on reading his book. Before he could accomplish this, Fred grabbed his book and threw it across the yard.

Harry went to get up to retrieve it but didn't get very far. Each twin grabbed an arm and a leg and hoisted Harry up into the air. "STOP!" screamed Harry furiously.

"Don't worry Harry we won't do anything TOO harmful to you." George laughed as they both neared the lake.

Harry tried to squirm to get away, "Please! I don't want to go swimming! Please!"

"Ouch!" hissed Harry as Fred held on tighter to Harry's arm.

"If you would stop squirming we wouldn't have to hold on as tight," insisted Fred, as he glanced at his brother.

"Have a fun swim, Harry!" George said happily as each twin threw him into the deep side of the lake.

There was a big splash as Harry hit the water. Ginny started swimming over to him, yelling at Fred and George to come back and apologize to Harry but they had already run back inside the Burrow both laughing mischievously.

When Harry came back up Ginny started, rambling an apology. "I'm so sorry, Harry. Fred and George can be such gits sometimes."

"Help! Please!" pleaded Harry as he sunk under the water again, not being able to stay a float.

Ginny was shocked. Did Harry not know how to swim? She thought as she quickly grabbed on to Harry's arm, just as resurfaced.

"Harry! Its okay, I'll help you. Just don't panic." Ginny responded. He was already clearly panicking trying to grab an invisible ledge which would allow him to be able to stay above the water.

It took Ginny longer that she had expected to arrive at the shore since Harry kept chocking on the water she had to stop and help him stay above the surface.

Once they finally arrived at the shore Ginny quickly stole a quick glance at Harry and noticed he was shaking, but also looking anxiously around, obviously looking to see if anyone else had seen the incident.

"Are you okay, Harry?" asked Ginny sincerely.

"Yes, thanks." Harry responded quickly, embarrassment clearly written across his face.

Ginny noticed that Harry had started shivering, even though it was hot out he was still in soaked clothes.

"Harry, let's get you up to the Burrow. You can change your clothes." Ginny said in concern as she got up off the warm grass and helped Harry up.

"You don't need to come with me, Ginny," Harry responded as he started walking towards the Burrow.

"Of course I do! Come on!" demanded Ginny, as she followed Harry towards the Burrow.

When they arrived Mrs. Weasley was frantic when she saw Harry soaked with water and shivering from the cold air against his soaked clothes.

"Oh, dear what happened?" Mrs. Weasley asked in a worried tone, while making sure Harry sat down on the couch.

Harry didn't respond out of embarrassment at what he had let the twins do to him. Ginny told her Mom for him. She also suspected that Harry didn't want to get Fred and George into trouble for throwing him in the lake.

"Fred and George threw him in the lake. Harry lost his glasses in the water when he fell in," answered Ginny secretly, happy that she gotten the twins in trouble.

"Those boys! Wait till I get my hands on them," said Mrs. Weasley angrily as she transfigured a pillow into a towel and ruffled Harry's hair trying to dry it as much as she could. You should get out of those clothes; you don't want to get a cold. Ginny, can you make sure Harry can get up the stairs with out his glasses? Lunch is almost done, so hurry" Mrs. Weasley in a motherly tone, clearly distraught on what her sons had done to her quest.

"I don't want to bother Ginny she's already helped me out enough. Really, I don't want to both-OUCH!" cried Harry as he walked straight into the coffee table.

Both Ginny and Mrs. Weasley laughed as Harry rubbed his knee.

"Harry you are too humble for your own good. Come on!" Ginny laughed as she got up off the couch and followed Harry, making sure he didn't run into anything again.

Once they got up to Ron's room Ginny left Harry to himself to change his clothes.

I really wish that Ron would take down some of his Chudley Cannons things down, every morning when I wake up I'm like temporarily blind for a couple of minutes from all of the bright orange. Harry thought to himself while taking off his soaked clothes and getting another outfit out of his trunk.

A few minutes later Harry exited Ron's room to see Ginny sitting on the floor still waiting for him, "Done."

Harry saw Ginny jump up at his voice she looked like she had been daydreaming.

"Hi. Oh, you look nic-warm. L-Let's go downstairs now. I think Mum has lunch almost ready." stated Ginny as she quickly descended the stairs, clearly wanting to get away from the conversation she had started.

"Ginny?" asked Harry, breaking the awkward silence as they both sat down at the kitchen table to wait for lunch to be served. "Do you know any way I could um...get my glasses? I kind of need them."

"Merlin's beard! I almost forgot! We'll mention it to Mum when we see her, I'm sure we could get Fred and George to get them for you," answered Ginny.

"Thanks," said Harry sincerely.

"No problem. Oh! I almost forgot. The tea Mum made for you is over there, it should still be warm."

Harry thanked Ginny, got up, walked to the stove and grabbed his cup of tea, savoring every drop. Mrs. Weasley always made the best.

"Do you know where your mum is?" asked Harry as he sat back down.

"I think she went outsi"

Just as Ginny started answering Harry's question, Mrs. Weasley's shrill voice answered it for her.

"GET BACK HERE! You better to apology to him. Now, go get his glasses from the lake. Don't even think of coming inside until you've found them! GO! No complaining," screamed a very agitated Mrs. Weasley.

Ginny quietly laughed to herself while she heard Mrs. Weasley yelling at her brothers but stopped when she heard Harry's chair fall to the floor. He had knocked it over while getting up to fast.

"OUCH!" hissed Harry as he ran over to the sink and put his hand under cold water, grateful for its coolness.

Ginny jumped out of her seat and ran over to Harry, "Harry what happened?"

"I spilt my tea on my hand. It didn't realize your mom could scream so loud, it kind of surprised me. At the Dursley's its normally really quiet there. I just sit in my room as far away from them as possible the most Uncle Vernon yells is when he's mad at me," smirked Harry, as he carefully wiped his hand on a towel.

Ginny saw Harry wince at the contact of the towel but didn't mention it.

"Are you sure your okay?" asked Ginny while plopping back down on her chair.

"Oh yeah. It wasn't that bad of a burn. Really!" lied Harry.

Ginny was about to disagree with him but at that moment Mrs. Weasley, Ron, Hermione and the twins came barging in all worn out from swimming.

They all quickly sat down while Mrs. Weasley happily brought the food to the table.

"So, Harry? Did you have a nice swim out there?" inquired George as everyone started pilling food on there plates.

"You finally went in the lake Harry?" asked Hermione curiously.

"Erm."

"No, he didn't George and I, brilliant we are. Threw him in. It was so funny, the way he was screaming it was like he was pleading for his life." Fred replied very pleased with him but didn't notice the sympathetic looks Hermione and Ron were giving Harry.

Ginny looked at Harry noticing that he was blushing onto his plate, obviously embarrassed from Fred and George telling his best friends what had happened.

"George! Stop teasing Harry! Have you apologized yet?" asked a very tempered Mrs. Weasley.

"We're sorry for throwing you in the lake when you didn't want to be thrown in, Harry." replied Fred and George at the same time but everyone could tell it wasn't sincere, they still found the whole situation hilarious.

Mrs. Weasley was irked," That was a horrible apology! What am I going to do with you two? Have you given him his glasses yet?"

"Oh right his glasses. Do you have them Fred?"

"Yes I do actually. Here you are Harry," laughed Fred as he handed them across the table to Harry.

"Thanks," replied Harry grateful to have his glasses on and able to see faces instead of a blur.

"You shouldn't be thanking them, dear," said Mrs. Weasley, while glaring at her red-headed twins.

"Harry? I've almost forgotten. Have you done all your homework yet? Remember our O.W.L.S are this year and you have to study," Hermione replied excitedly as she waved her fork at him ready to strike if he didn't listen to her.

"Um..," started Harry while keeping a stern eye on Hermione's fork, "I've already done all my homework. I was really bored at the Dursley's. I would have waited to do it here, but I wanted to have something to do," Harry replied trying to defend himself for he had promised them he would wait and do homework with them.

"Oh right then, "Hermione answered in disbelief.

Harry just nodded his head and stole a quick glance at Ron who was glaring at him.

"Ron, I really would have waited but I wasn't really allowed out of my room except to do chores and there isn't really anything interesting in my room. I'm so-,"

Ron cut off Harry before he could finish, "its okay I understand," stated Ron as his face turned from a glare to a sympathetic smile.

A half hour later everyone was clearing they're dishes away from the table and helping Mrs. Weasley clean up.

"So what do you want to do now," inquired Harry as they walked out of the kitchen and to the living room.

Harry quickly regretted asking this when he saw the worried looks Ron and Hermione were giving each other.

"Well, Harry," started Hermione slowly, obviously afraid of what she was about to say. "You see we, I mean Ron and I, wanted to spend some time alone. It won't be for very long really. Then we can all do something together." Hermione finished with a sigh, while trying to keep her composure.

"Oh right. Um...I'll just go read or something," said Harry as he turned around and headed up the stairs to Ron's room before they could reply back.

"I'm sure he'll find something to do," trailed Ron as he saw Hermione still staring at the staircase Harry had disappeared up.

"Yeah, he's just seemed so depressed since the third task. Even though he tries to hid it. I don't know what to do; we all know he didn't kill Cedric. 'The Daily Prophet' just keeps putting lies about him in there." Hermione sighed again, as she glanced at Ron who had a somber expression on his face.

Ron nodded, "Well, let's do something together then we'll try to cheer Harry up a bit," suggested Ron as he took Hermione's hand and led her outside to be alone.

Eventually, Harry was out of both of their thoughts.

Ginny stopped by Ron's bedroom door an hour later. She had known that Harry was upset about Ron and Hermione so she decided to try and cheer him up.

She knocked on the bedroom door, and asked. "Harry? Can I come in?"

When she didn't hear a reply she walked in suspecting that he had left or didn't hear her.

Ginny walked in and noticed that Harry was fast asleep on his make shift bed. He had fallen asleep while reading one of his Quidditch books.

She sat down in the chair next to his bed contemplating whether or not to wake him up. Before she had the chance to decide or not to wake him up, Harry all of a sudden sat straight up in his bed and clutched his forehead.

Ginny suddenly jumped up from her chair and ran over to Harry, "Harry are you okay? Merlin! What happened?"

When Harry didn't respond Ginny grabbed his hand; taking it away from his forehead, she noticed that his eyebrows were knitted in pain.

Ginny averted her eyes to his scar and gasped out loud his scar was bleeding furiously.

She immediately ran out of the room and within two minutes came back with some tissues and a bandage.

Harry gave Ginny a pleading look as she came back in and sat on Harry's bed. He was trying to stop the blood with the bottom of his shirt.

"Here Harry, I'm going to stop the blood okay. Just relax," sighed Ginny, as she put a tissue on his scar to reduce the bleeding.

"Ginny! Ginny, what is going on up there? Who was running?" demanded Mrs. Weasley while ascending the stairs and coming in the room. "Oh dear, what's happened? Harry dear are you okay?"

"Y-yes. I'm fine," stammered Harry who was still in pain.

When Harry didn't tell Mrs. Weasley anything more, Ginny decided to intervene.

"He was sleeping and all of a sudden he woke up and clutched his forehead," responded Ginny while placing the bandage on Harry's scar which was still burning furiously.

"Did you have a nightmare, dear?" inquired Mrs. Weasley with a sad smile.

Harry started to shake. "Yeah, but I don't want to talk about it if that's all right." Replied Harry nervously.

"Dear, it could help you know" stated Mrs. Weasley as she watched him get out of bed.

"No! I don't want to talk about it. You can't make me!" screamed Harry as he stormed out of the room, now seeing his nightmare clearly all over again.

"Ginny? Why don't you go and see if Harry's okay. I don't want him doing anything rash." asked Mrs. Weasley as she picked up the tissues and threw them away and quietly left the room.

Ginny nodded her head behind her mother's retreating back. She quickly went into her room and changed into sweatpants and a sweater. She had noticed earlier that it looked like it was about to rain soon.

She ran out of the Burrow and ran passed Ron and Hermione who were looking at her with a very concerned look on their faces. She gave them a friendly wave to tell them everything was fine.

"Harry! Harry wait up, please!" pleaded Ginny once she saw him just as he was about to enter the forest.

Ginny noticed that Harry was ignoring her so she ran up to him; grabbed his shoulder ready to yell at him for being so stupid.

She stopped mid-yell when she look into his eyes. His eyes held no emotion, they used to be a bright emerald green but now they were almost a dull gray.

"Harry," she started hesitantly, "What are you doing?" asked Ginny not wanting to embarrass him by reminding him about his sudden outburst he recently had in the Burrow.

"Oh, I was just going to go for a walk in the forest. I'll see you back at the Burrow in time for dinner okay?"

"Wait Harry! Can I with you? I've always loved walking in the woods," asked Ginny hesitantly.

Harry stood there for a couple minutes obviously contemplating whether or not to allow Ginny to come with him.

"Fine," replied Harry once he made his decision.

Ginny watched Harry walk into the woods at a brisk pace. She stood there making herself a promise by the time they were out of the woods she would have some secrets out of Harry even if he didn't like it.

***

A/N: Please Review.