Harry and Ginny arrived in the orchard behind the Burrow. Harry noticed that the others had obviously apparated closer to the house but he had apparated this far away on purpose, he wanted to have a private moment with Ginny. "Harry, you could have got us a bit closer you know" she said playfully. He turned toward her and smirked, his hand immediately went up to his hair but he stopped it before it reached. "I don't know whats up with me at the minute but I seem to be channelling my Dad, I keep messing up my hair" he laughed. He realised it must be because he was so happy for once in his life and this action was probably a Potter trait that expressed happiness and perhaps nervousness as well.
Harry quickly took Ginny's hand again and started to walk toward the Burrow, but he leaned over and gave her a quick kiss every now and then as they walked. The both laughed and walked together, happy in this moment and Harry hoped this feeling would never stop but it soon did. When they got closer to the house Harry noticed a large group of people stood around the house, he could see the red heads of the Weasleys fighting their way through the crowd. Instinctively Harry reached for his wand, but it wasn't there, he must have left it in his dormitory. Harry suddenly felt very uneasy, very vulnerable.
Ginny noticed Harry's movement and withdrew her own wand "Don't worry Harry, I've got mine" she said reassuringly. Harry felt a little better but still he didn't like the feeling of being wandless. They were now within hearing distance of the large group of people, Harry realised they were reporters and he could hear Rita Skeeters voice among the crowd. How did they know he was going to be here, how dare they come here. Anger started to fill Harry, Ginny yelped and let go of Harry's hand and he noticed she looked very worried.
"Harry, whats wrong you just gave me a shock. It hurt like a burn. Oh my god Harry, you're burning up I can feel the heat from here, are you sick." Harry didn't know what to say, how had his anger manifested itself physically. He then remembered a similar situation the summer before his fifth year when his Uncle had grabbed him then physically recoiled as if shocked. Harry's anger started to subside but this was only a momentary lapse as Ginny and his presence was noticed by the gaggle of reporters.
"Harry, is it true you defeated He who must not be named with Expelliarmus?"
"Mr Potter what do you intent to do now?"
"Is this your girlfriend, Mr Potter?"
"Harry, do you feel at all responsible for all the deaths this year?"
"What involvement did you have in the death of Albus Dumbledore?"
All the questions being thrown at him, people questioning his judgement, trying to pick apart his life, there were even some questions about his part in Dumbledore's death. "Enough!" Harry couldn't take anymore, his anger exploded with the force of a bomb. Everyone in the immediate vicinity was blown clean of their feet, including Ginny. Harry was enraged, the air around him crackled like static and the ground shook beneath his feet. Instantly Harry realised that Ginny was stood next to him when his rage exploded like that, immediately his anger vanished and turned into despair, he couldn't forgive himself if he hurt her. Frantically he turned around to look at where she had been stood, she wasn't stood up anymore; she was about fifteen feet away on the floor looking up at him with a look of shock on her face.
"Wow Harry, what was that?" she said with a slight chuckle but Harry could tell he had scared her and he felt bad. "Oh Ginny, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry" he ran toward her to pick her up but she jumped up and silenced him with a kiss.
"That's three galleons you owe me Perce" said George through a laugh. The Weasleys had all approached Harry and Ginny, some of the reporters had regained their senses and were now taking pictures. This angered Harry again, was his life never going to be his own. This time however he kept his anger in check, he wasn't going to risk hurting Ginny or any of the other Weasleys again. Mr Weasley ushered the family back into the house quickly and they all followed.
"We need to put some wards up to keep them away" suggested Bill once they were all inside. "I agree" said Mr Weasley and withdrew his wand, Bill and Mr Weasley stepped outside and Hermione followed. The rest remained inside in silence; Mrs Weasley shot glances at Harry and Ginny every now and then while George smiled smugly while shaking coins in his hand. After a few minutes but what seemed like a lifetime to Harry, Bill, Hermione and Mr Weasley returned.
"That should keep them out" declared Mr Weasley. "I'll say" added Bill "the amount of protection we just put up would probably have kept out Voldemort himself, I'd love to know where you learned some of those spells Hermione" Hermione blushed and muttered something about light reading while returning to Ron's side.
"OK, well a few things to clear up before we do anything else" said Mrs Weasley "Firstly, Ginevra and Hary what is going on?" Harry's hand shot up to his hair and he looked down at the floor, his ears burned red and he was sure Ginny was probably a fine shade of Weasley red right now. George however laughed. "Mum, isn't it obvious. Our little Ginny has finally made true on her promise to us. Remember her telling us that she was going to make Harry Potter her boyfriend one day well, it's happened hasn't it." He laughed even harder.
"I theenk eet iz charmant no, throo' all ov zis they 'ave found each ozzer" added Fleur. "I have to agree Mum, even if it did cost me three galleons" said Percy. Bill and Charlie however said nothing but merely looked at Harry with identical expressions that said 'we are going to talk about this' Harry couldn't help but run his hand through his hair again. Mr Weasley looked at Harry and then at Ginny and Harry thought there was a hint of sadness in his eyes.
"Well Ginevra is it true?" Mrs Weasly questioned. Ginny nodded in affirmation and took Harry's hand, Harry felt this wasn't the best move to make at the moment with Bill and Charlie looking at him so menacingly but he accepted never the less. "Well then we will talk about this later. Secondly, what just happened out there Harry?" she added.
"I...I,I don't know" said Harry honestly. "I just remember being really angry, I was angry that they were here, I just wanted us all to be left alone. Then they started asking questions about us, about Dumbledore and well I just exploded. I don't really know what happened."
"It was a little scary Harry" said Hermione "I've only ever seen that sort of thing once before and that was the other night when Voldemort...and it wasn't nearly as powerful as what you just did." Harry was worried now, the image of Voldemort's rage at Bellatrix Lestrange's death exploding much like he had just done. A cold shiver ran down his spine, he wasn't Voldemort, sure there were similarities but they weren't the same, Harry would never make the choices Voldemort had.
"Yeah mate it was a little scary, but you're nothing like him before you start thinking that" said Ron rather fiercely and Harry smiled at his best friend. "I didn't mean you were like him Harry" added Hermione quickly.
"I know you didn't" said Harry "I don't know what happened out there but I need to speak to Professor Dumbledore's portrait soon anyway so I will ask him, maybe he will know." Everyone nodded and agreed that this was a good idea.
"Right OK now the next thing I wanted to discuss is Ron and Hermione" said Mrs Weasley. Ron and Hermione instantly flushed a deep shade of red. George again interrupted with a laugh and a smug look. "Perce I do believe that you owe me five more galleons. I recall a certain bet myself and Fred made with you about this subject four years ago" Percy grumbled and extracted five galleons from his pocket and handed them to George.
"Hang on you bet on this four years ago" exclaimed Ron. A few of the other Weasley brothers were trying hard to suppress a snigger. "Oh Ickle Ronnikins, we knew this years ago" said George "even Mum knew this day was coming she's just trying to get you to admit it" Mrs Weasley looked quite smug herself and exchanged a knowing glance with Mr Weasley.
"Hang on, did you all know this before me?" said Ron now slightly affronted about the fact all his family knew about him and Hermione well before they even became a couple.
"Well Ron, it was kind of obvious" said George "Yeah" added Charlie "Oh and while I think about it, you owe me two galleons George, I said it would be seventh year before the two of them were finally on the same page and did something about it" Charlie finished with his hand outstretch. "Git" muttered George as he handed over two galleons to Charlie.
"Now really I don't approve of all this gambling" said Mrs Weasley sternly but Mr Weasley however cleared his throat before stretching his hand toward Bill, who dropped a galleon into it. "Arthur" said Mrs Weasley reprovingly. "Well Molly, it was kind of obvious but Bill thought it wasn't going to happen. I just happened to think otherwise"
"OK really, I would like to know what everyone has been saying about us" said Ron who Harry could tell was getting rather annoyed now.
"Fred and I always knew, since your third year. Percy here didn't spot what we did and thought it wouldn't happen but then when we discussed it with Charlie he said that you wouldn't sort things out until your seventh year, stupidly me and Fred thought you would come to your senses well before then" said George.
"I knew you liked each other" said Bill "I just didn't think either of you would figure it out" he added with a frown toward his father. Mr Weasley suppressed a chuckle and Mrs Weasley shook her head. "I knew you would figure it out eventually" she said "but unlike other members of this family I refrained from betting on it" she added with disapproving looks at the other Weasleys.
"Right anyway, I think it's time we started to tackle this tidying up. As you can see the house is still fine it just looks like it was searched and rather heavy handedly it appears" said Mr Weasley while looking around at the mess. "Kingsley has already sent a group of aurors here to check the place for curses and they have given the all clear, so Molly what would you like us to do."
"OK well, we need to get this place back in order so it's all hands on deck. Ron, get that ghoul back in the attic please, then start on your room. Bill and Charlie third floor please. George and Percy second floor please. Ginny and Hermione first floor please. Fleur if you could assist me here in the kitchen and with the front room. Arthur before you start tinkering in your shed could you please check the state of our bedroom. Harry dear if you could de-gnome the garden and feed the chickens that would be wonderful."
Harry thought Mrs Weasley seemed happy to be giving out instructions again and smiled, though he seemed to be the only one smiling. Ron was muttering under his breath as he left to tackle his room and the ghoul. Bill and Charlie shared a glance at Harry before they disappeared up the stairs. Percy looked put out to be paired with George in a clean-up operation; George meanwhile looked like he wanted to do anything but clean. Ginny and Hermione quickly whispered to one another and then disappeared upstairs. Mr Weasley looked longingly outside before sloping off upstairs. Fleur looked quite honoured to have been picked to help Mrs Weasley and Harry thought about how far their relationship had come since the start of Harry's sixth year when Mrs Weasley and Fleur weren't on the best of terms.
Harry made his way outside and decided to feed the chickens first. He took his time and couldn't help but think he had received the easiest job. He looked toward the perimeter of the garden and he could see the large group of reporters were still stationed there. He was annoyed but at the same time he laughed and wondered how desperate they all were to still be sat there despite all the wards. After he had finished feeding the chickens he decided it was time to de-gnome the garden, remembering his first ever de-gnoming experience Harry chuckled to himself as his rummaged through the bushes, he grasped a gnome by the ankles and slung it over the hedge.
Harry was busy looking in the bushes for another gnome when someone behind him cleared their throat. He stood up and spun round to see who it was, there before him stood Bill and Charlie and neither was looking particularly friendly.
"We would like to know, what your intentions are with our baby sister" said Bill menacingly, his jaw set and the scars on his face looked more pronounced than ever. Charlie merely nodded in agreement and folded his rather sizeable arms over his chest, his burn marks glistening in the sunlight.
"Erm...err" was all Harry managed to get out before a shrill "How dare you" was heard reverberating around the garden. Stood behind them was a very angry looking Ginny Weasley, her face matching her flaming red hair. Before Bill and Charlie even had chance to spin around she had whipped out her wand and with deadly accuracy and lightning fast speed cast her famous bat bogey hex on both of them.
"Arr Ginny, gerrem off me" shouted Charlie, while Bill was swatting wildly at the green winged things attacking his face. The commotion had obviously attracted the attention of the whole house; Fleur and Mrs Weasley were stood at the back door. "No magic outside school Ginny" scolded Mrs Weasley, Fleur however shouted "Eet iz ze couch for you tonight Beel, I told you to leave zem alone"
The windows at the back of the house opened on several floors, George could be heard laughing wildly out of one of them while Mr Weasley looked down upon the scene half amused half disapproving. Ginny barged past the two flailing Weasley brothers and took Harry's hand "Has anyone else got a problem with me and Harry" she said in a rage.
"Not bloody likely Gin" George called out from a window Harry recognised as Percy's room. "Ginevra, this isn't the way to sort matters out" said Mr Weasley a few floors above George "remove the hex from your brothers and let them come back inside. Your mother and Fleur will sort the pair of them out I'm sure" he finished.
"Zat we weel" said Fleur looking rather stern from her place beside Mrs Weasley at the back door. Reluctantly Ginny removed the hex and Charlie and Bill shuffled back to the house both looking rather embarrassed and ashamed and seemingly dreading the harsh words they were no doubt about to receive from their mother and in Bills case his wife. Heh