DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything, all rights and characters and stuff go to J.!
Chapter Two
Harry awoke suddenly by a large crash coming from the kitchen. He got out of bed, somewhat surprised that the space beside his, on the bed, was empty.
"Ginny must've gone downstairs already," Harry thought.
Harry walked down the stairs into the kitchen and the scene he saw met him with surprise. There was food all over the table, dishes broken, and Mrs. Weasly sobbing alone in a chair.
"Eer, Mrs. Weasly, whats wrong?" Harry asked, sitting down in the chair beside her.
"Oh, nothing Harry, nothing at all. I must get this cleaned up." Mrs. Weasly got up, face still red and puffy, and began cleaning up.
"Where are the others?" Harry asked.
"Oh, just outside I expect. I asked them to degnome the garden," Mrs. Weasly replied.
Harry walked outside, and sure enough, there was Hermione, Ginny and Ron, all degnoming the garden.
"Good Morning Harry!" shouted Ginny.
"Er, Ron, whats up with your mom?" Harry asked, walking over to the group.
"Oh, that. It's been happening a lot lately. She'll be going on about her buisness, then she'll just start crying. Woman you know?" Ron said.
"Ronald!" Hermione shreiked, "That's your mother we're talking about! She just lost on of her children, and here you're blaming it on HORMONES!" Hermione stalked off, taking Ginny with her.
"Oh, well, I guess Hermione's right… But still, mom's still going a little wacko, I mean, all of us lost Fred, it isn't just her that's going through this… Hey," Ron continued, "Have you been thinking about what we're going to do now? I mean we always talked about the Hallows or the Horcruxes, but never about what we were going to do after all this…"
"Well I still want to become an Auror, you know? So I reckon I'll have to go back to Hogwarts, just to finish. Do you reckon that Proffessor McGonagall will let us back in?" Harry asked.
"Hermione and I have been talking about it, she really wants to go back, but I don't know if I really want to. I mean, do we really need to? But I also don't want to seperated from Hermione, especially after we've just started – well you know- after we just got together."
"Yea, I know what you mean. I might just go to Hogwarts to be with Ginny," Harry said.
"Uh, so you two are, er, definitely together now?" Ron asked.
"You know better then anyone, that the only reason I broke up with her a year ago was to save her! I never stopped caring about her." Harry said defensively.
"Whoa, mate, chill. I just, I just want to make sure that this is for real, this time. She's been through a lot, and I want a good guy for her. Not that you aren't a good guy- but mate, she's loved you since she was 11." Ron replied sheepishly.
"I know. Its just- I don't want to hurt her either. I want to take things slow, and I know how much she loves me. I'm scared of screwing up again," Harry said.
"You can't ever screw up, as much as you did when you broke up with me, even though you did it for a very good reason." Ginny said, walking up beside Harry, " Mom wants to let us know that lunch is ready,"
The trio walked back into the Burrow, solem and quieted by the conversation.
They were just finishing up lunch when an 4 owls swooped in, each with a letter attached, adressed to Hermione Granger, Ronald Weasly, Harry Potter and Ginny Weasly.
"I wonder what this could be," Harry thought, opening the letter.
Dear Mr. Potter,
I would like to inform you that you have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizadry for your last (seventh) year. I do not, of course, know your plans for the future, but I will need a reply, no later then the 31st of July. It is not mandatory that you come, but you are indeed welcome.
Yours Sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Headmistress
Harry was speechless. He had not known that Hogwarts would even be up and running for the following school year, despite Ron's assumptions. He definitely did not know that he, and by the looks of everyone elses letters, Hermione and Ron would be invited back for their seventh year.
"July 31st, that's only 3 weeks from now!" Hermione shrieked.
"Blimey, so are we going to do this?" Ron asked.
"I personally, think it would be good. There still could be things that we need to know in order to get a good job. I think I will write to Proffessor McGonagall tomorrow with my reply. Ooh, I wonder who will be teaching this year!"
"You're going to go, without even talking about it?" Ron asked.
"Well what is there to talk about? We were invited back, it will be an excellent opprotunity!" Hermione replied.
"Well, we're a couple now, right?" Ron said, "I thought you'd might like to stick together, and I'm not sure if I want to go."
"Just because we are a couple, doesn't mean we have to be latched to eachother! Just because the we are a couple doesn't mean the world stops Ron!" Hermione cried, exasperated.
"Well, you know what? I'm sorry! I just thought you might like to be together! You can go to Hogwarts nobody is stopping you!" Ron shouted, stomping out of the kitchen and up the stairs to his room.
"Oh… I should really go talk to him, I didn't mean it that way!" Hermione ran after Ron.
Harry and Ginny sat in silence, for a few minutes, before Ginny spoke.
"I- I don't want to pressure you into anything Harry. I mean, I would love it if you came back to Hogwarts with me and –er Hermione I guess. But a lot as happened over the past year- to the both of us, and, well, if you don't want to go, I'll understand."
" Honestly, I don't know what to think right now. There are so many things I want to do, and now that I don't have the pressure of Voldemort with me, I want to do those things. But I also reckon that Hermione is right. I do still want to become an Auror, but if I go back to Hogwarts, what will happen to Teddy? I mean, Tonks' mom would like me to take him, and I told her I would, but can I if I am back at Hogwarts. The most I'd be able to do would be Hogsmede weekends, and that would be so infrequent." Harry said.
"Why don't you talk to Andromeda? And there is still 3 weeks till you have to reply, and there are still 7 weeks till the summer is over we- I mean you- could still do some of the things that you wanted to do." Ginny replied. "Just think about it Harry, that is all I ask."
Harry lay awake that night thinking about what Ginny had said. He knew she was right, and he also knew that Hogwarts would be the right place for him.
Author's Note: So, here we are, end of chapter 2. I think I like it, but I'm not sure. I realize I made Ron sort of mushy, like sensitive, but the way I see it is that he has finally realized is love for Hermione, and the death of his brother only proves that he has to live each moment as his last. So yea, it is what it is?
Btw, thanks to the 3 people who I guess suscribed to my story already, only after 1 chapter! It really gave me a drive to finish this second chapter.
