I think the story is starting to take shape. Well, at least in my head. I don't exactly know where I'm going to go with this but get ready for awkward romantic scenes.
As always, if you have any suggestions, feel free to spam me with your thoughts!
Mrs. and Mr. Weasley arrived later that evening.
Mrs. Weasley hugged Harry, asking him where he'd been and if he came back to stay. She let him go only after Harry managed to say something resembling a "Y-yes"
Then Mr. Weasley, after cleaning his robes from the ash with his hands, looked at Harry "Glad to see you, Harry. Everything's good?"
"Yeah, it should be" answered Harry, smiling awkwardly. Arthur Weasley was always nice and polite, but he always managed to understand the contexts, and before anyone could suspect anything, he was aware of what was happening around.
It had been an awful half hour. The living room already felt too small, and It started to get bad when Hermione started a monologue about how going back to school would be great, and it only got worse when Mrs. Weasley suddenly burst into tears.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione went into the kitchen while Ginny stayed with her mother.
"So," asked Harry "When…when Fred's funeral is due?"
Ron looked at his feet, so Hermione answered with a sniff "It should be the next month or so, Kingsley said that at the moment the Ministry is very busy but he wanted an appropriate ceremony for everyone that fought and died,"
W-we shouldn't think about this you know?" said Ron "Fred, he…you know what he would say: 'it's done, now go have to fan idiots'"
Harry smiled, he could easily imagine Fred telling them to stop trying to feel worse and just think about something else.
"What about the others? Percy, Charlie, and Bill?" he asked , with the intention to lead the conversation in happier places
"Oh Bill and Fleur are at Shell Cottage," said Ron "While Charlie is back in Romania, and Percy is at the Ministry. He lives in London now." He added "I bet that this way he can keep working even when he shouldn't"
"How romantic," said Hermione, ecstatic
"What?" replied Ron, bewildered, "You think it's romantic to work too much and annoy other people?"
"No, Ron," said Hermione condescending, "I was talking about Bill and Fleur. They had a baby and they're living their own life"
"Bill and Fleur had a baby?" Harry almost fell from the chair "That's great! What do we know?"
"It's a girl," said Ron "And I think they're going to name her with some stupid French name-"
"French is an awesome language, Ron," said Hermione.
Ron looked at Harry, as he was saying "If-you-say-so" and made him laugh.
Hermione gave Ron a playful cuff on the back of his head.
"We should go visit them, "said Harry, "We should definitely go."
"Visit who?" asked Ginny's voice
"Bill and Fleur." answered Ron "How's mom?"
"Like always." Replied Ginny while taking a seat beside Harry "Dad took her upstairs"
He put his hand on her's.
"They said they'll probably go to Charlie's soon." She added "He invited mom and dad in Romania to distract them"
"How nice of him," said Hermione "It will help, you know, going away"
"Hey, you lot," said Mr. Weasley as he entered the room "I don't think your mom will be helpful with the dinner"
"We can help, Mr. Weasley," said Harry, "No problems"
They all tried to help cooking, but after almost an hour nothing edible was ready. Cooking wasn't Hermione strength, and the Weasleys had never actually had to cook anything because Mrs. Weasley always did everything herself. Harry managed to cook some bacon and eggs, but nothing more
"Ask Kreacher," said finally Ron, throwing a burnt frying pan into the kitchen sink.
"Kreacher!" called Harry "Why didn't we think about him an hour ago, I'm starving"
With a loud crack the old, little elf appeared in the middle of the room "Master called Kreacher?"
"Yes, Kreacher please," said Harry pointing at the stove with his finger "Can you cook something?"
"Kreacher will cook" he answered, and as he jumped on a chair to reach the table, he snapped his fingers making ingredients, dishes and knives fly around."
"I think we should leave him alone," said Ron, dodging a knife "It's better if he can work with nobody around him"
"I'll go check on your mother," said Mr. Weasley
Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione went into the living room and sit on the sofa
"I think we should find something to do in the next days," said Hermione "You know, to keep us busy"
"We could play Quidditch," said Ron
"I'd like to go to the Ministry," said harry, "we could meet Kingsley and ask about the Auror department and…"
"You're not going back to school, are you?" asked Hermione, sounding incredibly like McGonagall
"Oh, we are not," said Ron "What good could it be? To get in other troubles? We've had enough troubles for a lifetime or two"
"Well, I'm going" replied Hermione, looking at Ron as if he said that he would really like to jump off a cliff and learn to fly without a wand "And Ginny is coming with me, right Ginny?"
"I think so," said her "I mean, I wanted to stay with you" she looked at Harry
"I think we'll work something out. We'll see each other on Hogsmeade's weekends and during holidays, and who knows? Maybe McGonagall will allow me to enter the school from time to time"
Ginny smiled at him "It would be great"
"What?!" snapped Ron
"You would come visit me too, right?" said Hermione, angry
"Yes I would, but why do you have to look at me that way?"
"Oh, you mean the way I look at you when you don't care about what I think or feel, Ronald!? This way?!"
"Ehm-we'll leave you two alone, ok?" said Harry
Ron and Hermione were so busy arguing that they didn't even notice Ginny and Harry leaving the room, or Kreacher announcing that the dinner was ready.
"Thanks, Kreacher," said Ginny "We'll take something to eat outside, alright?"
"Whatever miss Weasley says" replied Kreacher, handing them some steak and kidney pie and two butter beers
Harry and Ginny walked for a while, searching for a nice place to sit down until they decided that the barn would be the best place. They sat down on the grass with their backs against the wall. The sun was setting, almost disappearing behind the orange-flood hills. The chilly air and the flowery smell Harry was so fond of made him smile
"What's so funny?" asked Ginny, taking a sip from her bottle
"Nothing. Remember in the sixth year? Well, Slughorn made a cauldron of Amortentia, and Hermione said that it smelled differently for every one of us, and I smelled…well, this smell of flowers and grass that made me think of you."
"You were so hung up on me, Harry, and you didn't even know"
Harry smiled. The breeze was making Ginny's hair dance on her shoulders, and he put his arm around her back.
He looked night sky was filled with thousands of little shining stars, barely visible in the crimson light of the sunset.
"I'm glad we put this two weeks behind."
"Oh, I'm still mad at you," she said "You're just lucky that you said that you loved me at the right time"
"Now that I think about it, you didn't answer" he replied, pretending to be both angry and sad
"You'll have to earn my words Potter," she said and blinked at him
"I'll do my best"
"So" he added after a while "Going back to school. We only have a few months to spend together"
"You don't know? Didn't Hermione told you"
"Told me what?"
"School starts next year, not this September"
"How do you know?"
"Hermione sent a letter to McGonagall, asking her"
"She is restless, I can't blame Ron too much"
"I bet she smelled Dungbombs when you were in Slughorn's class"
Harry almost choked on his steak and kidney pie
"I-I…I mean," he said, coffing his lungs out "They always got into fights when they weren't together, now things can only get worse"
She kissed him lightly on the lips "We'll make sure to get out of the way"
And they sat there in silence for hours, sometimes talking, but mostly in silence, looking at the now dark sky.
After all they've been through, it felt like heaven. The stars were blinking lazily. For the first time in a very long time they did what teenagers were supposed to do: thinking about themselves, mending their hearts while grown-ups dealt with the problems of the real world. And, besides, who said that learning to love and growing up isn't a problem of the real world? Maybe grown ups just forget what they've been through, how much a simple hug can help, how much unspoken words a kiss can carry. But then, Harry thought looking at Ginny, growing up and growing old are two different things. What would he do? Could he start is Auror career without finishing the seventh year at Hogwarts? Will they forget the pain and the heartache, the unbearable feeling of discomfort that comes along burying friends that once made you laugh?
Ginny got closer to him, putting her head on his shoulder "I missed you, Harry" she whispered.
He didn't answer, there was no need to. He looked at her and moved her hair from her forehead placing them behind her ear. He didn't know it yet, but in his mind, a thought was taking shape. The thought that if he had to grow old, well, she was the one that he wanted to grow old with.
The living room window lit up in the dark, even thought nor Harry or Ginny noticed, as Arthur Weasley walked downstairs. He was holding a little wooden tray, with some dirty dishes on it. It was the first time in a while that Molly ate something. Maybe, he thought, it was the presence of Harry, Ron, and Hermione, or maybe time was starting to do it's magic, numbing the pain.
He stopped when he saw Ron and Hermione asleep on the sofa. He looked at his son, fast asleep with his hand touching Hermione's fingers. His son was growing up, and Hermione could help him so much. They looked peaceful as if each other warmth kept demons away.
"Oh, to be young" Mr. Weasley smiled and took the tray in the kitchen. He put in into the sink and looked around. The room was as clean and tidy as it had never been in years, Kreacher did an amazing job and Arthur made sure to remember to thank him the morning. He put some water on the fire and brewed some tea. He didn't feel like to sleep. He had a carefully folded letter in his pocket, but he waited for the tea to be ready before opening the parchment. George gave him the letter that very morning, a letter that Fred wrote before the battle
"I wrote one too, but I don't think I'll ever let someone read it," he said while handing Mr. Wealey his brother's one "Just don't show it to mom now. Wait a while, wait until she feels better"
He didn't say anything more, he closed the door of the shop before Mrs. Weasley could notice something. Not that he said much more during their visit to the store. It was still closed, and even though Verity and Angelina were trying to cheer George up and convince him to open the store, George looked like he didn't care about anything anymore
"It'll get better," said Angelina, looking over her shoulder towards George "He just needs time".
"Come on Arthur, let's go back home" Moly was calling him because he stared at the closed door, speechless for what could've been hours, thinking that conversation with Angelina Jhonson he had minutes earlier.
Mrs. Wealey's voice made him come back to the world
"I'm coming, sorry Molly, dear" and they started walking back towards the Leaky Cauldron.
And now, he was there, sitting at the table where Fred sat so many times. He and his brother, always sitting next each other, always trying to prank someone, cracking jokes or whispering among themselves about who knows what.
All the letters he and Molly received from the school about the twins behavior, now he smiled thinking about those, but how angry those very letters made him, just a few years back. He thought of his son's lifeless body, of that ghost of his last laugh so harshly painted on his pale face. A single tear ran down his cheek. He was almost surprised, he was sure he didn't have any more tears to cry. The tea was starting to get cold. He took another sip, trying to find the courage to read the letter. He took his glasses out of his pocket, wore them, pushed them with his finger to make them fit on his nose and started to read.
Hi dad, hi mom
If you're reading this it means that something bad happened to me and that George gave this letter to you.
While I'm writing this, we're getting ready to air another Radio Potter episode. I just wanted to say thank you, for everything. We're going to fight, I can feel it and we'll lose someone for sure. You'll lose someone, and for how much I hope that I'll be able to say this to you in person, I do not feel like to go against luck so much. I love you, and no, I won't apologize for all the trouble we caused you because it had been a wild ride and I'm proud of what I and George accomplished (outside the school)
Well, I keep forgetting that if you're reading this I won't be there, so stop crying, right now.
Try to not think about me too much, I promise I won't take it personally.
PS: there's a box hidden in our room. Please, let Georgie take care of it if you want to keep all your limbs attached to your body.
Fred
Arthur was smiling. How could he be laughing? It was his dead son's letter, and he was laughing. He read again the letter, trying to find a reason to feel guilty, a line that he skipped while reading, where Fred tells them all about how much he fears to die, how much he's missing his parents. Nothing. Fred heritance was just a warning about a box he and his brother left in their room. He smiled again. What was wrong with him? Nothing apparently.
He thought of all the time spent chasing those two around the garden or looking at them, slightly tired while Molly yelled at them for something they did or get caught in the process of doing.
His son was gone, and yet, he wrote those words, and Arthur was sure, Fred faced his death as he faced everything else in his life, with courage and a laugh.
He felt the weight on his chest lifting a little, his son was a grown man and he knew what the dangers were when he entered the school for the last time. And, thought Arthur, he had his family to look after. George, Ginny, Charlie, Bill, Ron, and Molly needed his help, now more than anything.
He was starting to read the letter another time when he heard the door open.
Harry and Ginny entered the Burrow holding hands, with sleepy eyes. Mr. Wealey put quickly the letter in his pocket before the two noticed him.
As soon as their eyes met, Harry and Ginny put their hands as far as possible from each other, blushing.
Arthur decided to let them believe he didn't see anything, even though he'd been suspecting something for almost two years.
"Oh, hi dad," said Ginny, "We were just wondering around"
"I couldn't sleep neither," said Mr. Wealey "Want some tea?"
"Not for me thanks, I'm going to sleep," said Ginny, and she hurried upstairs
"I'd like ,some," said Harry, even though he was really tired. He sat in front of Mr. Weasley and poured himself a cup of tea.
It wasn't the first time Harry and Mr. Weasley talked, but before he was more "Ron's father" than "Ginny's father" and talking about Malfoy's plans seemed easy if compared to this moment. Plus, Harry didn't' exactly know why he decided to have some tea, he was tired after all. Maybe he thought, he just didn't want to go to sleep because his brain used to play with him, producing nightmares that haunted him since after the battle. Or maybe he just didn't want Mr. Weasley to think he was going with Ginny…well, anywhere.
"Harry, have you thought about your birthday?"asked suddenlyMr. Weasley, not just to keep the conversation away from what he saw earlier, but also because he spoke with Kingsley about the matter at work
"My birthday?" repeated Harry, "Why does it matter? I mean, I don't want anything. No presents, no party no nothing"
"I thought you might say something like this" sad Mr. Weasley, smiling at Harry "But you see, it's not so easy. Kingsley thought that your birthday would be the perfect occasion to bring all of us together, you know, Andromeda, Aberforth, the Order members and those who fought by your side that night. I know" he interrupted Harry, who had opened his mouth, astonished and quite angry " I know, you don't want any of this. And I agree with you, even Kingsley was afraid to ask you something like this. But try not to think about how hard it would be for you, not that I'm saying that it's not important," he added quickly, "But think about how good it will be to anyone to reunite and celebrate with you. I think it's something people needs before they can start again with their lives, and you need this too, more than anyone."
Harry looked at his teacup for a while before answering "Ok. I guess you're right, but I don't know what I'll be able to say, or, do"
Arthur Weasley smiled at the young boy sitting in front of him, thinking about the words he read before, how simple Fred's letter was and how his simple, playful words hit him "You know, Harry, sometimes even the most simple thought can go a long way. Nobody expects you to talk for the entire celebration, just say what you feel it's worth saying, and it'll be enough"
Harry finished his tea with a long sip, embarrassed by the way Mr. Weasley was talking to him.
He stuttered "I'll…Thanks, I'll keep this in mind. I'm really tired now…"
"Go to bed," said Mr. Weasley "Oh, Harry, please," he added before he could stop himself "Make sure that, at least for tonight, it's your bed". Harry nodded and run upstairs to hide his red face. Ron's bed was still empty, but he entered the room trying not to make a sound anyway, maybe because it was a habit he took at school because of all the wandering around at night for six years, maybe because the last words of Mr. Weasley made him much more aware of his surroundings than ever before.
He was, Harry thought, the man who raised Fred and George after all.
