Wow. I am so amazed that I got great reviews that quickly. Thank you so so so much if you reviewed. Hope you like this chapter too. Well, here it is:
Chapter 2
Back Again
Ginny leaned back in her chair and put her feet up on her desk. The students would be arriving in just less than an hour. For the five-hundredth time she opened a desk drawer and drew out a much-fingered Daily Prophet. The front page glared out at her. Lord Voldemort Dead! Wow, how things would change now. Ginny had never known a world free from danger. All her eighteen years had been spent with Death Eaters and Tom Riddle swimming at the back of her mind.
Then, from the same drawer she extracted an already fading piece of parchment. On it, scrawled in Hermione's neat, legible script were the words that Ginny now knew by heart:
Dearest Ginny,
We're home! All of us, me, Ron, Harry. We made it, we did it, we're back at the Burrow now. I can't even believe this! You've got to come home, we all miss you so much, all of us, Harry included. We want to see you. I can't write more now, but you have to come back. I have to talk to you…about stuff.
Love, love, love,
Hermione
Ginny remembered the first reading, less than two weeks ago, that had made her head spin. She had fallen to the floor and cried, partly from happiness, partly from something else, she didn't know what. She hadn't known what do. Oh, how she missed the threesome. Three years had passed since she had last seen them, how they must have changed. Three years of scanning every word of every Prophet in hopes of picking up something, anything, that might reassure them all that Harry, Ron, and Hermione were still safe. But of course, nothing was ever found. Neither the Ministry nor the Prophet had known about the mission until just last week when Harry Potter and his friends had resurfaced in triumph. She wanted to see Ron and Hermione. And Harry. Did she want to see Harry? She had been fifteen when she told him she loved him. Three years had passed, did he expect her to feel the same way? Everything was so complicated now.
"Ginny?" Ginny tore her eyes away from the words on the parchment to see Dean Thomas standing tentatively in the doorway of her classroom. Hastily she threw the parchment into the drawer and shut it.
"Dean!" she said, forcing a smile onto her face. She walked over and gave him a quick kiss before turning away.
"Wait," said Dean, putting his hand on her shoulder and turning her around. He leaned down and gave her another kiss, a slow, gentle, long kiss. "There," he said, releasing her. "So how's our newest Charms teacher holding up in the pre-student bliss?" queried Dean.
"Just fine," said Ginny with a shrug. Then she changed her mind, why was she holding back from Dean? "I'm a little nervous, that's all."
"Don't be. You're the most amazing teacher any of them will ever meet. McGonagall has full faith in you, appointing you to a full teaching post right out of schooling."
"But she appointed you…."
"As an assistant teacher for a year before a promotiion," cut in Dean. "So don't be nervous, Gin. You'll be great. Anyway, teaching doesn't start til' tomorrow. You've still got the feast to enjoy."
"Yeah, I suppose so," muttered Ginny. Dean entered the classroom and sat down on the desk, beside the newspaper. He picked it up. He didn't need to read it. He, like every wizard or witch, knew every word.
"Amazing, isn't it?" he said.
"Yeah, really amazing," agreed Ginny.
"And Harry back?" Ginny thought she noted a little suspicion in Dean's voice. She replied quickly and firmly.
"And Ron. And Hermione. Wow, my brother must have changed."
"Must have," said Dean slowly. He dropped his suspicions. "Are you going back home to see him?"
"I wrote Hermione to tell her I couldn't until the Winter Break. It's going to be too crazy with students."
"McGonagall could always give you leave to…," Dean trailed off as Ginny gave him a look. In a moment the look vanished.
"I just want to get settled here first," she said gently. "Anyway, for now I'll have Hermione's letters. And she promises that Ron will start writing too."
"So they're all fine?"
"Perfectly." Ginny didn't add that there was an odd tone to Hermione's letters, like there was more she wanted to say, but couldn't. Ginny shook it from her mind.
She looked up at Dean. It had been a year now, since they had gotten back together. When she looked at him she didn't feel her head spin and her heart pump faster like she remembered with Harry. He was just a gentle guy, she felt… protected when she was with him.
"We'd better get down to the Great Hall," said Dean slowly, his eyes searching her face.
"Yeah," said Ginny, allowing a smile to rise to her lips. "Let's go." She took Dean's arm and they walked together down to the Hall.
o.o
Everything was ready for the students. "Enjoy the quiet," whispered Dean into Ginny's ear as they entered the Hall. Ginny instinctively began walking towards the Gryffindor table. Dean laughed and pulled her away from it. "The Staff Table, remember?"
Ginny laughed too. "Yeah, I almost forgot." It was strange, taking a seat at the Staff Table. It just didn't seem right. But Ginny sank into her seat, right beside McGonagall, Dean on the Headmistress's other side.
"Ms. Weasley," McGonagall nodded. Ginny nodded back in acknowledgement. McGonagall smiled and leaned closer. "Don't be nervous, dear," she said and gave Ginny's hand a reassuring squeeze. Ginny grinned back.
Slowly the other teachers began to file into the room until only one empty place was left at the Staff Table. Ginny glanced over at Dean as the clock struck 8, the students were due any minute. He gave her a thumbs up. She gestured to the empty seat beside her. Dean shrugged. Ginny leaned over to Professor McGonagall.
"Professor, who…?" But at that moment the doors flung open and a veritable sea of students flooded into the room, and with them an instant uproar of noise that drowned out the teachers' conversations. The students milled around for a moment before taking their seats, still chattering away. Ginny sat in silence, trying to figure out which subject's professor was missing. She herself taught Charms. Dean had taken over McGonagall's post as Transfiguration professor. Sprout was still aptly instructing Herbology, Hagrid Care of Magical Creatures, and a fatter-than-ever Slughorn Potions. Scanning the other professors along the length of the table, Ginny realized that the answer was simple enough. Defense Against the Dark Arts. Snape, of course, had not returned to the post, and the other teachers had only been temporary. So it had to be that the new Defense teacher was missing in action.
"Quiet down, quiet down." McGonagall had stood now and had pointed her wand at her throat to magnify her voice. The students were rather lethargic in stopping their socializing, but stop they did, after some period of time. It was obvious that the students were happier than normal. News of Voldemort's downfall was causing great rejoicing throughout the wizardng community. No more fear, no more tears, thought Ginny dryly. "Alright, thank you," McGonagall said. "I think it is time we began the Sorting."
The students tittered a little as Argus Filch produced the frayed Sorting Hat and stool. The Hat did not commence with a song. After Dumbledore's death it seemed to have lost its love of music. Ginny sighed and smoothed her napkin. Then, from the double doors, and led by the four house ghosts, came the white-faced first years. Their eyes visibly widened at the magnificent Hall, the ceiling reflecting the twinkling stars outside. Ginny was glad to see that a good number were sorted into Gryffindor. As a teacher she really wasn't supposed to be partial, but who could blame her? Finally the Sorting ceremony ended and McGonagall stood once more.
"Now that we have introduced many new students into our ranks, I would like to introduce some new staff members." She paused, allowing the students to scan the Staff Table for these new faces.
"I am firstly very pleased to welcome Professor Thomas to the post of Transfiguration professor." Dean smiled at the students, who cheered. He had been assistant teacher last year and was rather well liked all around.
"Next Professor Weasley will be joining us as Charms professor." Ginny smiled. The students clapped, but there was a certain amount of whispering as well. In recent days the name Weasley had become almost as famous as Potter. Had a Weasley not been best friends with Harry Potter and accompanied the Chosen One on his mission against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?
"And finally, we will be having a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, as Professor Grand has chosen to retire. It seems he is late today but I assure you that he will be present and ready to teach to your willing young minds by tomorrow morn…," she was cut off as once more the double doors flew open and a man entered.
Students gasped. Ginny, turning to the other teachers, saw many gasp as well. So she had not been the only one who had not known.
"Well, here he is," cried McGonagall, her eyes twinkling. "Students and Staff I would like to introduce our new Defense teacher – Professor Potter."
Ginny felt her heart skip a beat, like it always used to do. He hadn't changed very much in the past three years. He was 19 now and tall, it seemed to her just short of six feet. His hair was the same uncooperative brand – jet-black, falling rather dashingly into her face. His bright, bright green eyes had hardened a little, but they shone as he grinned out at the stunned audience before him.
"Sorry I'm late, Professor, my broom got held…." McGonagall laughed. The students were further awed. McGonagall never laughed lightly.
"You are a staff member now, Potter. You need not make excuses for your tardiness." Her smile faded back into the usual thin-lipped expression. "Now, if you would be so kind…," she gestured towards the empty seat beside Ginny. His gaze swept past Ginny and to his vacant seat, then he did an obvious double-take and looked back toward Ginny, who grinned.
"Hello, Harry," she said, her voice carrying easily across the silent Hall.
"Hello Gin. Long time no see."
She nodded. He looked back at her and her stomach dropped. His gaze held the same intensity that she remembered, she felt like she was falling into his eyes.
Harry's footsteps echoed loudly on the floor, the silence was deafening. Harry looked around, as though confused at the shock he had caused. Ginny stared straight ahead as the chair beside her scraped back and Harry sat down. It had just hit her. Harry Potter, the boy she had loved, the boy she had told she loved him, was here: sitting beside her as though it were only yesterday. She swallowed.
But it wasn't the same because McGonagall was once more addressing the students. Ginny didn't hear a word. Dean caught her eye from the Headmistress's other side. "Are you okay?" he mouthed. She nodded. She saw Dean's eyes dart to Harry and back to her. "You sure?" he mouthed again. She bit her lip and nodded again.
"Let the feast begin," McGonagall said suddenly. The golden plates before them were instantaneously stacked with every type of food imaginable. Slowly Ginny took a piece of beef and placed it on her plate. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Harry looking at her and breathed, trying to calm herself. It wasn't a big deal, she kept telling herself. It was just Harry. She had grown up with him, why was she so tense?
"I'm so glad to see you, Gin," Harry said.
She turned toward him and was caught at once by those eyes. She smiled. "I'm glad to see you too, Harry."
"Hermione says you're visiting the Burrow at Christmas."
"Yeah," Ginny said. She paused. "How are they? How are you?" Suddenly the questions that had been burning inside her for three years spilled out. "Why couldn't you write? How did it happen?"
Harry seemed momentarily stunned by this sudden stream of questions. "Wow," he said. "Where to start?"
Ginny laughed. Harry laughed too. Just like old times.
"They're fine…I'm fine. Everything's so…different now. My scar doesn't hurt, I don't have those dreams. God, it's amazing. And now I'm back at Hogwarts. This is going to be my peaceful year."
"Doubt it, Harry," said Ginny, her eyes sparkling.
"Well, with Voldy gone…what's here to bother me?"
"Me," said Ginny with a laugh. Harry grinned.
"Damn," he said.
o.o
Okay. That's it for now. Any ideas on where it should go from here? I'm always always looking for feedback so push that little purplish-grayish button and review!
