Disclaimer- I don't own Harry Potter or The OC. I just love them both to pieces.
"So can I ask what you were thinking?" Arthur Weasley wasn't the first man to try and get this information from Harry Potter. In fact he was the third.
"Hmm let's see, when Dudley smashed the car window I was thinking 'damn there goes my class trip to the art museum Friday', when I jumped in the car at his insistence, I was wondering why all Dudley has to do is give me a command and I'll follow it. And then finally when we hit the brick wall I wondered fleetingly if this was what my parents felt when they were coming home from the supermarket ten years ago and that car rammed into them causing them to ram into a building. They died on impact."
Arthur nodded, regretting the question.
"So where's Dudley and my aunt?" Harry asked finally.
Arthur looked down at his papers, "Dudley is eighteen, Dudley stole a car, Dudley had a bag of pot in his pocket when the cops picked you both up. Dudley isn't going anywhere." The news didn't bother Harry nearly as much as he thought it should have. People should care when their family members are to be remaining in jail. But Harry didn't, "And then there's you're aunt… Harry you're aunt isn't coming for you."
"What?" he asked confused.
"His parents are dead Molly. His aunt just abandoned him in front of me. What was I supposed to do?" Arthur asked.
"We have seven children already, Arthur, he's not ours." Molly said standing.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm gonna get some sheets from the cabinets. He can stay in Ron's room tonight." Arthur stared at his wife, "Well you know I'm not gonna throw him out in the street in the middle of the night."
Harry got out of Mr. Weasley's car to stretch his legs. When he reached the end of the driveway he noticed a girl with fiery red hair standing there.
"Who are you?" she asked curiously.
Harry paused before answering, 'The Weasley's have a hot neighbor.'
"Whoever you want me to be." he answered leaning against the fence in an attempt to look cool.
The girl nodded bemused, "What are you doing here?"
Harry thought about telling her the truth. Admitting to letting his cousin, his stupid cousin, bully him into stealing a car. How Dudley was in jail now. How he was homeless now. Staring into this strangers face made him want to. Her eyes, her brown caring eyes made him want to tell her everything, so of course Harry lied to her, "I'm related to the Weasley's. Cousins of mine."
For a second Harry thought the girl was fighting back a laugh, but she merely nodded, "Oh yeah? Nice family, the Weasley's."
Harry nodded, he had to agree. Mr. Weasley had only known him for a a few hours and somehow he was standing in their drive way talking to his hot neighbor.
"Harry-? Oh Ginny there you are." Arthur said walking up to the two of them.
"Hi daddy." Ginny said smiling up at him. Harry choked.
Dean Thomas pulled up in his truck, "Hey Mr. W."
"Dean." Arthur said out of politeness.
"You ready babe?" Dean asked Ginny, who nodded.
"I'll be home by curfew." Ginny said to her father, she gave Harry an amused grin and added softly so only he could hear, "Later Cuz."
"Mum, you can't seriously be letting a felon stay in our home." Harry and Arthur heard Percy Weasley complain to his mother.
"Yes she can." Fred piped up.
"A felon in our own house." George added dreamily, "Think of the possibilities."
"Percy, not another word. Fred, George, you are to leave him alone. He's spending the night upstairs in Ron's room, he'll be gone by Monday when your father takes him to child services." Molly said.
"Harry I-" Arthur started.
Harry shook his head, "It's fine. You have kids of your own. You don't need to be worrying about some poor orphan kid. I appreciate what your doing though."
"Where is Ron?" George asked.
"Upstairs." Molly said as Harry and Arthur entered the kitchen.
"Well come on Harry, Ron's room is on the top floor." Arthur said.
"I can find it, if that's okay with you." Harry said, heading towards the stairs.
"Oh, okay." Arthur said.
Harry nodded to them and picked up his back pack, "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Weasley, and other Weasley's." Harry climbed the stairs and sighed, wondering how he went from living in the smallest bedroom of his aunt and uncle's home to being homeless all in one day. He knocked on the door at the top floor.
"Come in." he heard someone grunt.
He pushed open the door and stood waiting for Ron to look up and address him, "Uh hi."
Ron looked up from his video game, he glanced Harry up and down then finally said, "Wanna play?"
Harry shrugged, "Sure."
About an hour had passed before Ron finally asked what Harry was doing at his house. Though his only response to that was, "Cool." Another hour went by in which Mrs. Weasley came in to check on them, and looked slightly disturbed at the way they seemed to be getting along so well, Fred and George came in to ask Harry about prison, in which Harry admitted he didn't really spend to much time in prison before their father came to get him, and Percy had stuck his head into the room at least five times to stare at Harry and not say a word.
"Go away Perce!" Ron said, hearing the door open as he and Harry were opening Harry's cot, and making the bed, "Oh hey Gin." He said realizing his mistake.
"Hey Ron, Harry." She said grinning in Harry's direction.
"How was your night with Dean?" Ron asked, rolling his eyes to Harry, while Harry tried very hard not to look at Ginny.
"Fine." Ginny said, "Oh yeah, Hermione's on her way over. She's spending the night."
Ron groaned, "Again? God can you two go a day without seeing each other?"
"She's my best friend, Ron. Something, which you really don't know anything about." Ginny said, "I'm going to bed, night big brother, night Cuz."
Harry nodded unenthusiastically, in her direction. Ron didn't seem to notice as he swore once more and went to sit on his bed. Harry made a note to ask about this "Her-knee", or something, girl in the morning, and lay on his bed.
"Wake up!" Molly yelled from the stairs landing, "Ron! Harry! Wake up!"
"We're up mom, we're up!" Ron yelled back.
Harry sat up and blinked. He couldn't believe it was morning already. Never in his life had he slept so comfortably, and soundly.
"Come on mate, we've got stuff to do today." Ron said.
"We do?" Harry asked reaching for his glasses.
"Let's go."
"Breakfast time." Molly said serving Ginny a plate of eggs and bacon.
"Thanks mum." Ginny said grinning when she saw Harry and Ron descending the stairs.
"Morning Mrs. Weasley." Harry said politely as he sat down.
"Morning Harry." Molly nodded, "Ron be polite say hello to our guest."
"She's not exactly a guest mum." Ron mumbled, rolling his eyes and sighing, "Granger."
"Ronald." Hermione said, her tone matching his.
"Let's go." Ron said leading Harry towards. Harry was about to ask about the girl but got distracted by Mr. Weasley.
"Harry, Ron."
"Hi dad." Ron said.
"Mr. Weasley." Harry nodded.
"Ron, why don't you take Harry out on your boat?"
"You have a boat?" Harry asked.
He nodded grabbing his jacket. Harry did the same, and followed him out the door.
Big Brown EyesHarry read the name of Ron's boat then looked at Ron. As far as Harry could tell all of the male Weasley's, Ron included, had blue eyes, Mrs. Weasley and Ginny had brown eyes but no sixteen year old boy named a boat after his mum and/or sister. Harry glanced up at Ron before shrugging, deciding it didn't really matter, he and Ron were friends now.
"Come on mate." Ron said climbing on to it.
"So what is there to do around here?" Harry asked.
Ron shrugged, "This."
"What do Fred and George and… Ginny do?" Harry asked.
"Fred and George have big plans to open a joke shop in a few years, while Ginny just wastes her time partying." Ron said, not really seeking to continue the conversation about his siblings.
"Right…" Harry said picking up on it. He'd never been on a boat before, though he admitted that he liked being on Ron's, "So how'd you get this boat. It's pretty nice."
Ron seemed to brighten, "It belonged to my dad's great gran. She used to live a few miles from our house and every day after school I used to go over there to check up on her and make sure she was taking her meds and stuff. Mum kinda told me to, but," Ron shook his head as if that fact didn't matter, "anyway, when she passed away she left me this boat. I cleaned it up and re-named it, and I've been on it at least once a week since. Next summer I'm gonna… uh… I'm gonna sail it away."
"Where?" Harry asked.
"Wherever man… just out of here." Ron sighed.
Harry figured he should drop the subject.
When they docked the boat about an hour later Mr. Weasley was waiting for them.
"Cutting it close Ron." He said checking his watch, "You two have to get ready for the show."
"What show?" Harry asked confused.
"The Godric Hollow High School Fashion show." Ron said with evident contempt, "And I'm not going."
"You have to go." Arthur sighed, "Ginny is one of the models."
"It might be fun." Harry said quickly.
Ron stared at him, then shook his head turning back to his father, "Everyday is a fashion show for these people, my little sister included."
"Come on, what else are we gonna do? I already beat you at every video game you own." Harry reminded him jokingly. Ron glared but finally sighed in agreeance.
Ginny Weasley glanced out her bedroom window to see her father, brother, and the boy who had tried to convince her he was her cousin walking towards the house.
"What are you doing?" her best friend asked.
"Nothing." She said innocently. A little too innocently.
Hermione got up to see what Ginny was doing, and laughed, "Aren't you dating Dean?"
"Yes." Ginny said giggling.
"Then why are you staring at what was his name… Harry?"
"I'm just watching my family members come inside." Ginny said, "Aren't you in something with Seamus? Why are you always staring at my brother?" she countered.
"First of all I've been out with Seamus once, and second of all I do not stare at your brother! I can't stand him!" Hermione said annoyed.
"Whatever, anyway, I have to get ready for the fashion show. You're coming right?" Ginny asked, turning from the window. Hermione did the same, and nodded.
"I've never missed one yet."
Harry stood in front of the mirror attempting to tie his tie. He finally gave up and tossed the tie on the cot. Molly knocked on the door.
"Harry?" she called in the room.
"Uh hi Mrs. Weasley." He said.
"No tie?"
Harry cleared his throat, "Uh no, I don't think I look that great in a tie you know."
Molly nodded grinning, "Arthur couldn't tie a tie till we were married. I had to show him the night before our wedding at the rehearsal dinner." She picked the tie up off the bed and proceeded to tie it for him.
"You ready yet mate?" Ron asked walking in. Molly rolled her eye at the state her son was in. The front of Ron's shirt was hanging untucked, his tie was lying loosely around his neck, and his left shoe was untied.
Ron and Harry wandered around the event boredly.
"How about we eaves drop on other peoples conversations?" Ron suggested.
"Nah. How about we go behind stage and wish Ginny luck?" Harry tried.
"No." Ron said quickly, "How about we get something to eat?"
Harry shrugged and followed Ron to the food table, where Fred and George were talking to some girls Harry hadn't seen before. Though considering the only places Harry had been since arriving the evening before, were the Burrow itself and the dock.
"Ron, Harry." Fred said as the two joined them, "Ladies this is our little brother Ickle-Ronikins, and our resident convict Harry."
"Convict?" a blonde girl close to George asked with interest.
"How old are you?" a black haired girl asked Ron.
"Sixteen." Ron said with a grin, while Harry said, "I'm not a convict."
"Don't be so modest." George said, and then whispered to Harry, "The girls dig the prison thing."
"I'm leaving on Monday when you're dad takes me to Child Services. I'm not looking for a girlfriend." He said, turning to leave as the show was starting. Ron excused himself from the black haired girl who'd suddenly gotten a little too handsy.
"Oi, mate that girl is crazy." Ron said sitting with Harry.
"Why?" Harry asked amused keeping one eye on the stage and the other on Ron.
Ron shook his head and turned to stare at something, Harry turned to look but all he could see was the back of some girl's head.
"All I'm asking is for you to escort your sister to this party Ronald." Molly said.
"But mum I hate these people." Ron complained. The fashion show had ended and Ginny was invited to a party afterward, the only way she was allowed to attend however was if Ron went.
"Ronald, do me this favor." Molly said.
"Why can't Fred and George go?" he asked.
"Because they have work in the morning." Molly said.
"It's no big deal mate." Harry shrugged, "We can hang out for an hour or so."
"Fine." He said admitting defeat.
"Who's that?" Harry asked Ron nodding towards the girl who had been in the kitchen earlier, instead of enjoying the party going on around her she was reading some book.
"That's Hermione Granger." Ron said, Harry could sense the dislike in his tone.
"Ex?" he asked before he could stop himself.
"Gin's best friend. She's our age but she's far too smart for her own good. With that damn bushy hair, and the books always seared to her hands like- like- like she was born that way or something." Ron said rolling his eyes, "God and her front teeth-"
Harry smirked interrupting him, "and you love her."
Ron's ears turned red, "What? I do not! She is a- you're a prat." he added pointing at Harry, who merely laughed at his new friends embarrassment.
"So wait she's Ginny's best friend?"
"Yeah." Ron nodded.
"But they seem so... I mean Hermione is, as you said books and stuff and Ginny is..."
"A scarlet woman." Ron said annoyed staring over towards his sister walking around in a skirt too short, Hermion in tow, trying to persuade the alcohol out of her hand. Harry choked on the soda he'd been sipping, "A what?"
Ron shook his head and started in the direction of his sister with Harry in tow, "Oi Ginerva Molly Weasley!"
"Hey big brother, hey cousin Harry." Ginny said drunkenly.
"She won't stop." Hermione said apologetically.
"Don't worry about it," Ron muttered, "Let's go Gin."
"Maybe she doesn't want to go." Dean said coming from behind the four.
"We're going home Dean." Ron sighed.
"So you can read your stupid little comic books and make out with your boyfriend here, fag?" Dean asked pointing to Harry.
"Dean!" Hermione scolded.
"Oh shut up Prude." Dean's friend Seamus, who had always liked Hermione piped up.
"Look we're leaving, the four of us." Ron said putting a hand to Hermione's shoulder and turning to grab Ginny who was watching with a mix of anger and amusement.
"Not so fast Weasley." Ron turned back to face Dean and got punched in his right eye.
Harry pushed Ron out of the way and punched Dean himself.
"Oh fighting for your boyfriend, are you?" Dean laughed,angrily. He punched Harry in the stomach causing him to almost fall, "Welcome to Godric Hollows Bitch!"
"Hey Ron?" Harry asked after punching Dean again.
"Yeah mate?" Ron asked ducking in time to aviod being hit by Seamus.
"We should probably leave." Harry said aiming another punch at Dean's jaw.
"I was thinking that myself." Ron responded getting lucky as his fist connected with Seamus's head, "Ow! Jeez, punching people hurts!"
"Did you think it would tickle?" Harry asked as Dean was on the ground, he grabbed Ginny from around the waist and threw her over his shoulder in a fireman lift.
"Time to go." Ron said to Hermione, steering her in the direction Harry was leaving.
"Shh! Geez Ginny keep quiet!" Ron said as he unlocked the door.
Ginny was giggling like crazy leaning against Harry who had long since put her down, "Everyone's sleeping Ron, relax."
"He's right Ginny." Hermione said glancing around the empty yard.
"Well, well, well!" a voice said as Ron got the door open.
Harry clasped his hands over Hermione's mouth to muffle her scream.
"What in the bloody hell are you two still doing up?" Ron asked ignoring Hermione's scolds for his language, "I thought the whole reason we had to go to this stupid thing is cause you had work tomorrow and couldn't watch Gin."
"We've been waiting for you three," Fred started but George interrupted.
"And you Hermione."
"Mum and dad went to sleep hours ago." Fred stated.
"So Gin's piss drunk we see." George said, "Harry's influence?" the twins grinned in his direction.
"Sure if we'd met Harry two years ago when this started." Ron said, leading his sister to the couch.
Hermione went to the kitchen and pulled out two ice packs. She handed one to Harry and put the other one to Ron's eye.
"Little brother did you get into a fight?" Fred asked.
"Now that might have been my influence." Harry said as Ginny moved the ice away and touched Harry's growing bruise. He sucked in a pained breathe when her fingers brushed it.
"Ginerva Molly! Ronald Bilius! Hermione Jean! Harry James! What in God's name are the four of you doing waltzing into my house at two in the morning?" Molly demanded, "Ron, were you fighting?! The four of you better explain yourselves right now!"
"Mum, I'm just a tad drunk right now and your voice is really giving me a headache." Ginny said. Hermione groaned and sunk onto the couch next to her.
"Mrs. Weasley, we... I... Ginny, Harry, and Ron-"
"Don't!" Molly said. She had known Hermione since she was a little girl, and she knew when Hermione was trying to come up with a lie.
Hermione bit her lip. Molly Weasley was the only woman whom she could never lie to. Her own parents didn't care much about her so they were easy to lie to, but Hermione had been coming to the Burrow since she was a child.
"Mum, we went to that party like we told you we were gonna." Ron said.
"You said you'd be home by twelve. I trusted you." That last comment was directed to Harry and Harry alone.
"I'm sorry." Harry said.
"Mum if we might interrupt for a moment," Fred began, "it seems that-"
"No, you may not interrupt." Molly said, "All of you go to bed. Hermione you can spend the night but I'm calling your parents in the morning and since I know what their reaction will be you are grounded. You're not permitted to leave the house, watch tv, or use the phone. Cell phone included." Hermione stared at her in shock. She had never been grounded in her life, let alone by her best friend's mother, "Do you have a problem with it?"
"No ma'm." she said quickly standing and helping Harry to hoist Ginny up.
"And don't think you're getting off scott free Ginerva. In the morning you and I are gonna have a very long talk."
"Until tomorrow then mum." Ginny nodded, "Night Cuz." she said to Harry as they all stopped in front of her door.
"Why does she call you cousin Harry?" Ron asked as they continued up the stairs for his room.
Harry chuckled, "No idea." and both boys pressed the ice packs back to their eyes.
Please Review and tell me if you guys like it. As of right now this is a non-magic story.Oh and I just want to clear something up. They live in Godric Hollow, sorta of like a county, but The Burrow is the name of the land the Weasley's own. They aren't rich per say, but they aren't poor either.
-Em