A/N: Thanks so much to my first reviewers! I hope you like this fic, because I do and I love to share it with you. Also, if you have questions, don't be afraid to ask, because I may have overlooked something. Keep the reviews coming!

Almost

Ginny and Hermione sat on Harry's bed, while Ron had a seat on the hard little chair by his tiny desk. They were quietly talking about Bill and Fleur's wedding, which was taking place at a little hall in Ottery St. Catchpole, and about what a prat Percy had become. Harry had gone downstairs to see what his horrible relatives were doing. Ginny kept drifting out of the conversation as she stared out the window.

Ron was about to say something to her when Harry returned to the room, grinning. Ginny sighed because she was glad to see him acting like a teenager and not a soldier, even if it was temporary.

"Well, at east we know now that Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon are out of the house. Who's going first?"

"I think you should Harry," Hermione suggested. "After all, it is sort of your house and it was your idea."

"Okay," he agreed. "I'll start with you, Hermione, since you know how to play already. The rules stand as you ask a question and if the person refuses to answer they have to take the dare."

"Deal," the other three teens chorused.

Harry smiled innocently at Hermione. "How many times have you been in the boy's dorms after curfew?"

Harry and Ron laughed as the girls went pink. Hermione opened her mouth, and promptly shut it again, unable to think of a single thing to say. Ginny's eyes bulged.

"I am fairly certain you can't ask that, Harry!" the redhead exclaimed.

Harry grinned maliciously. They were only one question into the game, and he had already reduced them to silence. "Sure I can," he replied. "The question stands, how many times have you gone into the boys dorms after curfew?"

"I refuse to answer!" Hermione exclaimed. "Harry...that's not fair!"

"You're right," he granted, "that isn't fair. It should be boys against girls. Ron, you can ask Ginny the same thing if you want."

Both boys ignored the protesting squeals from the girls.

"Well, Ginny?" Ron prodded. He was curious about his sister's answer.

"I...I refuse to answer," Ginny said, glaring at her brother.

"Hmm," Harry said. "In that case, your dare is...your dare is that you must go downstairs and ask Dudley to order you a pizza."

"What if your uncle is there?" Hermione demanded, disapprovingly.

Ron shrugged. "Harry just said they were out of the house."

Ginny stood up. "Well, I wanted to play this game."

She marched determinedly down the stairs, Hermione following right behind her. The boys followed, half to lend a hand if the Dursleys did happen to have returned, and half to see what would become of the dare. No one was in sight as the four of them peeked into the living room, the dining room was locked up, and they heard shuffling sounds coming from the kitchen. They opened the door to find Dudley searching the refrigerator, his parents nowhere in sight.

"Dudley, where did Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon go?" Harry asked.

"They went out," the fat bottom sticking up in the air answered. "I offered to stay and see that you don't rob us or blow the place up!"

"Pig!" Ginny barked imperiously. "Order me a pizza!"

Dudley stood up and turned to face her. "What?"

Hermione, standing tall and gesturing grandly, snapped, "A pizza, boy! We want a pizza, and you will order on for us."

Then, they turned and fled from the room. Dudley stared stupidly after them, while Harry and Ron walked out more slowly, howling with laughter by the time they returned to Harry's room. The girls were panting on the bed, and glared at them as they entered.

"You're right girls," Harry conceded. "This is a juvenile game."

"Especially when you two are running from pork-bellied Dudley!" Ron added.

"Shut it, Ron!" Ginny cried. "It's our turn for questions now!"

"Yeah, Harry, how many different girls have you had crushes on?" Hermione demanded.

Harry thought for a moment. "Well...I think…maybe about six?"

"Who were they?" she pressed.

Harry grinned. "I don't have to tell you that, you've asked your question."

"Fine," Ginny interjected. "Who were they?"

Harry stuck his tongue out at her. "Cho Chang, Fiera Phoenix, Fleur Delacour, and Katie Bell."

"That's only four," Hermione noticed.

Even Ron looked confused. "She's right mate. That is only four."

Harry took his turn blushing and stared very hard at the carpet. "Okay, four crushes then."

"I don't believe you," Ginny announced. "Either divulge the truth about the fifth and sixth crushes, or...go get a glass of juice in your skivvies."

Hermione shrieked with laughter and Ron grinned at Harry.

"What do you say, Harry? Boxers or briefs?"

"Whoo-hoo!! Go Harry!" Ginny catcalled from the bottom of the stairs.

"Oh Harry," Hermione gasped between giggles. "This is too funny!"

"Oy, Harry. You should've answered the question!" Ron added, shaking his head at the sight of Harry proudly walking down the stairs in nothing but a pair of royal blue flannel boxers with little yellow ducks printed on them.

"Never!" Harry crowed. "My manly pride is at stake! Besides, I'm thirsty for juice."

As his friends watched in delight, Harry strode into the kitchen.

"Harry?" Dudley yelled.

"Want a glass of juice, Dudley?" Harry asked calmly as his cousin ran from the room. Just as he poured the juice and was carrying it back to the stairs, the doorbell rang.

"Hold this," he said to Ginny.

"Um, Harry?" she started, but then stopped, a huge grin on her face. Ron and Hermione trailed behind him while Ginny just stood and sipped the juice.

Harry opened the door to a pimpled pizza girl. She held a large pizza box in one hand.

"Yes?" he asked, a trifle confused.

The pizza girl's eyes started nearly out of her head and she held up the box. "Um...I have a…um…pizza for the Dursley's."

"They aren't even here, though," Harry answered.

"No, they probably aren't," the girl said, blushing furiously. "Look, you can just have the pizza, I'll tell them a dog stole it!"

Harry grinned, "Hey thanks."

The girl murmured, "No problem," and ran off to her car.

He closed the door after her and held it out to Ron. "Looks like Dudley ordered their pizza, after all."

Ron stared at him with his mouth hanging open in a highly unattractive fashion.

"Harry, you just opened the front door to the pizza girl in your boxers," he whispered hoarsely.

Harry groaned, looked down, and gave the pizza to his friend. "I'm going to get my clothes back on."

He trudged back to the stairs, only glancing up when Ginny, glowing with smiles, held out the empty juice cup.

"Cheers, Harry. I guess you won!"

They ate the pizza amidst giggles, and Hermione barely noticed the time approaching three. Harry released Hedwig and told her to meet him at the Weasley's house. She nipped him affectionately, and flew away. They gathered around the handkerchief Hermione was holding, each grabbing it and something of Harry's to drag with them. Dudley had the misfortune of opening the door just as they sped away. Harry never did find out Dudley's reaction to the sight; it was the last time he ever saw Privet Drive, and he was happy for it.

When they arrived at The Burrow, they were greeted by Molly Weasley's bear hugs and tearful kisses.

"Mum!" Ron cried. "We were only gone two hours!"

"Harry! You're safe! I'm glad to see you again!"

"I'm glad to see you, too, Mrs. Weasley," Harry answered. He was sure this was going to be the hardest year he'd had yet, but he felt better enveloped in one of Molly's loving bear hugs, surrounded by a close knit family who considered him one of them.

"Let's go inside, dears."