"Alright, Ginny."
"Alright, Harry."
"Again, Gin. Thank you so much. I don't know what I would do without you." Harry hugged her once more. Ginny hugged back and wouldn't let go.
"It's my pleasure, Harry. Plus it was a great week. I don't want to go back."
"I know but, you have to. I'll be here when you get back." Ginny let go and looked into those beautiful green eyes. The eyes that were apart of her first valentine to him way back in first year.
"But will you be here as you, or the other you." Ginny was close to tears when she said that. She realized her biggest fear was if she couldn't leave school like she did, again and he would sink into another depression.
"It won't happen again. Anyway you got rid of all my booze." Harry said with a chuckle in his voice.
"Harry, it's not funny. I don't want you buying a single bottle of any alcohol except butter beer. If I hear you have, it's your neck on the chopping block."
"Ginny…butter beer doesn't have any alcohol."
"Harry, yes it does. How else could I have gotten drunk off of it? And I don't want to hear you've been getting drunk off of butter beer either."
"I promise I won't." Ginny gave him one last fleeting hug and a peck on the cheek before she flooed back to Hogwarts.
Harry sighed. He was going to miss her but the next Hogsmeade weekend was in two weeks and he wouldn't miss it for the world. He left the living room and got dressed into his uniform that's required to be worn until he's an auror. The memories of Ginny telling him how hot he looked in them came back. Harry didn't and still doesn't believe he looked hot. He never looked good before. He looked at his wrist watch and it was only seven-thirty. He went to the kitchen and thought of what he could eat for breakfast.
"What do you want for breakfast?"
"How about some eggs?"
"Poached, sunny side up, scrambled?"
"Scrambled, I guess."
Harry came out of his thoughts by an owl scratching at the window. It was a majestic snowy owl and it sort of reminded Harry of Hedwig. Merlin blesses her soul. He walked over to the window and took the letter off the owl's leg.
Dear Mr. Potter,
We at the Ministry need you to come as soon as possible. We understand you're a trainee but we need you to come on an auror mission with us. Don't worry Ronald Weasley will be coming as well. Please bring about two weeks worth of clothing and say your final goodbyes to your family. There will be no contact with in or out of the Ministry. More details when you arrive.
Sincerely,
Kingsley Shacklebolt
Minister of Magic
Harry read the letter and wasn't pleased. He remembered what Tonks said about auror missions. They usually last longer than they plan. That means there's a chance that he would miss Hogsmeade weekend. He quickly forgot about his breakfast and went up to his study. He quickly got out a quill and a piece of parchment and scribbled out a small letter.
Ginny,
Sorry I need to write fast. I've been sent on an auror mission. They say it would be around two weeks so there might be a chance I will miss your Hogsmeade weekend. Ron is coming too so tell Hermione. There is no contact at all so don't write back. I'm sorry.
Love,
Harry James Potter
Auror Trainee
Harry felt bad giving Ginny such a small letter. He would have to tell her how sorry he is next time they see each other. Right now, Harry could only think of one thing. That was the mission that they were sending him and his best mate on. He packed up his clothes in an undetectable extension charm and flooed to the Ministry.
"Hello, Mr. Potter. You can take a seat next to Mr. Weasley." Kingsley said pointing to a seat next to Ron. Robinson was standing next to Kingsley and on the other side sat Arthur Weasley. Harry wondered if Molly knew what was going on. "Now that everyone is here, let's begin. Now since the end of the Battle of Hogwarts, we at the Ministry are capturing and rounding up remaining death eaters. We have located two on our top hit list. Their names are Rodulphus Lestrange, and Stan Shunpike. They will only be where they are for a short time. So these following aurors will be coming with head auror, Robinson. Um, Robbie Smith, Christopher Thomas, Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley and lastly Steven Spinnet, will you all please stay, everyone else may leave." Arthur came to the boys and gave them a quick pat on the back.
"I ask you to stay safe." He muttered to them and left the room. The five men stood in front of Kingsley.
"Um, Minister Shacklebolt, er, Ron and I aren't aurors." Harry said and Ron rapidly nodded. You could tell he was nervous for the mission. But he shouldn't be, he went on a six month hiding trip with barely any food last year and survived.
"Not to worry, Potter. You, out of all the trainees, will be able to work this mission. Anyway, I assume you all packed clothing." Everyone nodded. "Alright, the portkey is ready. There will be three tents there for everyone to share. One will be reserved for the Head Auror. Therefore there will be two tents for the five of you to share." Harry looked at Ron and Ron did the same. No matter what they were going to be in the same tent. "Alright, time for you to leave. Robinson, you may take over." Kingsley stepped off of the podium and Robinson took over. Kingsley left the room without a single word.
"Okay Potter, Weasley you two are the trainees, so this will be more of a learning experience than anything else." Ron and Harry nodded; they knew they'd be treated different than everyone else. Either they were going to be treated better because they were apart of the Golden Trio or they were going to be treated unfairly because they were trainees. Harry didn't care; the only thing he cared about was how Ginny was going to be mad or disappointed in him for missing her Hogsmeade weekend. Ginny always came back to his thoughts. Harry worried if it would be a distraction to him, but it's just a learning experience because they knew nothing about catching death eaters. They knew nothing about how they act or behave. Maybe their experience with constant fighting of death eaters since they were eleven meant nothing. Wow, Robinson was going to be in for a surprise.
"Alright, before the portkey wears out lets use it. Let's go." Everyone grabbed on and disappeared.
Something didn't feel right. Ever since she left Harry's flat to come back to Hogwarts, she couldn't help but feel like something was about to go wrong. Ginny walked down the corridors that led to the Gryffindor Common Room. As soon as she walked through the portrait hole she was ambushed with a hug from Hermione.
"Ow Hermione, Bugger off!" Hermione drew back almost instantly but her smile didn't disappear.
"Tell me, what happened!" It wasn't a question but a demand.
"Well, I flooed straight to his flat, almost scared him to death, told him off, apologized, slept in the living room, woke him up with a bottle of water, made him breakfast, threw away all of his booze, watched that muggle movie Cinderella, accidentally got seen by reporters, got yelled at by mum, then returned to his flat and almost repeated everything we did before." Ginny plopped down on the sofa in front of the fireplace. She was half asleep but she didn't care. She hadn't spoken to Hermione in an entire week.
"Wait a minute. You slept in Harry's flat?"
"Yes, and no to your twisted little mind. We didn't do anything."
"Oh come on Ginny, I'm not that dumb."
"Okay Hermione, the worst and most romantic thing we did was snuggle on the sofa and fall asleep in each other's arms. Okay and that's it. We even talked about that."
"And what did he say. Wait no, what did you say?"
"I told him I didn't want to do that until I was out of Hogwarts and had my life all planned out and put into action. He agreed with me. That's that."
"Okay but how many times have you snogged on this pre-honeymoon type week."
"Maybe three, four times at most. And this wasn't a 'pre-honeymoon type thing'. This was me being a good girlfriend and getting my boyfriend back on track. That's it."
But then an owl came scratching at the window of the Common Room. This was weird because owls go into the owlery, not to the windows. Ginny looked at Hermione for help, but Hermione sat there confused. She came to the window and took the letter of the owl's leg. The name made tingles shock up her spine. It said: Ginny Molly Weasley. Ginny looked up to Hermione with concern. Hermione nodded.
Ginny,
Sorry I need to write fast. I've been sent on an auror mission. They say it would be around two weeks so there might be a chance I will miss your Hogsmeade weekend. Ron is coming too so tell Hermione. There is no contact at all so don't write back. I'm sorry.
Love,
Harry James Potter
Auror Trainee
Ginny read in silence, and then a silver tear slowly prickled down her cheek.
"Hermione, um, I don't know how to tell you." Hermione held out her hand for the note. Therefore Ginny wouldn't have to speak what was on her mind. While Hermione read it she had almost the same reaction. Except for saving her emotions as best as possible; she gasped and clapped her hand to her mouth and ran to Ginny to hug her. Now not only was Harry and Ron were worrying about the girls; but Ginny and Hermione were worried about the boys. "Um, I think I'm going to go to lunch… do you want to come with me?" Hermione hesitated for a moment and then lead the way to the Great Hall. They sat in silence for most of lunch. No one spoke until Neville broke the silence.
"So, um, how was your week off, Ginny?"
"Good." Ginny wasn't trying to be short with Neville. She was just trying to worry in peace.
"So, why are you all so silent?" Neville didn't understand why his friends were so quiet. He had known them from seven to eight years and they were never known to be quiet.
"Neville, Harry and Ron were sent on an auror mission. That's where aurors usually get injured or lost or…or…killed…" Ginny looked down at her food and sighed. What if Harry got killed? What if Harry got lost? Or worst what if Harry gets injured that is unfixable? Ginny wished she could have gone back in time and make sure that Harry and Ron couldn't go. I can't belie- WAIT A MINUTE…Love, Harry James Potter…LOVE! He said Love in his letter. I mean he has said that he loves me to my face but he wrote it down…That MEANS HE ACTUALLY DOES! Ginny smiled for a moment, if Harry actually loved her then that just raises her worries.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know…" Oh great now Neville felt guilty.
"It's okay Neville. I don't expect you to be psychic." Ginny answered back. Neville nodded but Ginny was completely sure that he wouldn't believe Ginny. But what could she do?
"Well, maybe you guys need to get your mind off of it. I mean, the more that you think about it," he pointed to his wrist watch, "the slower the time passes. The more you spend your time thinking or doing something else, the faster the time passes and the faster they'll come home."
"I wish you were right, Neville." Hermione said playing with her corn,
"Trust me, it is. It's something useful that Professor Trelawney taught me last year. It was more advice than anything else, but I don't think I'll ever forget it." Ginny took in what Neville said. In all the years that she knew Neville, she only saw him this clever a few times before. War brought out different traits in people, Neville's was cleverness and strength, Luna's was determination and courage, and Ginny's was full out rebel, mainly because last year she didn't care about anyone or anything.
"Can we change the topic…I'm sorry but it's getting a little too sad for me." Hermione blurted out, easing the silent tension that crossed the Gryffindor table.
"Have you finished the essay for History of Magic?"
"Oh no, I forgot about it!" Hermione said, clapping her hand to her forehead.
"And you forgot another thing about it." Ginny said scowling at her.
"And what's that?" Hermione asked, squinting her eyes.
"TELLING ME!" Ginny said in a nerving way before leaving the Great Hall.
Harry and Ron felt the cold mulchy ground under them as soon as they landed in their destination face first. They stood up as quickly as physically possible to impress their fellow aurors. Robinson had already started setting up his tent.
"Alright, who's sleeping where?" The pudgy man with brown hair named Spinnet demanded.
"How about we camp with you." Thomas said gesturing toward him and Smith. Harry and Ron glanced at each other. They expected this right from the start. Harry nodded toward the remaining tent. They left the three aurors and started to set it up. Once they did they entered it without another word to the remaining men.
"Do you think it was wrong of us to just take this tent and not say anything to the others?" Ron spoke up after shoving his bag under his bed.
"No. Don't forget Ron, they didn't want to share a tent with us at all. We were just settling the awkwardness by leaving."
"Awkwardness?" Ron asked lighting one of the candles.
"Ron, you know they were whispering to each other while we were setting up this stupid tent. They were talking about how they were going to tell us that they were staying together without us. To be honest, I don't care about them. Well in a personal way. Knowing me I would go fight for them if they were being attacked by death eaters of course."
"Harry, you don't need to explain that to me. I know you have that stupid characteristic about saving people's lives even if you hate them."
"Any examples, because I don't really believe you."
"Well first, we had Ginny in the Chamber of Secrets."
"Ron, you know I love her." Harry said in a quite serious tone.
"I know you do now. Think about it Harry. How well did you know her back then?"
"I knew her on an acquaintance level. I mean back then she was my best mate's little sister. Anyways, that wasn't an example because I never hated her."
"Well third year you saved Sirius and Buckbeak."
"But I saved him after I found out the truth, so I didn't hate him. And I always liked Buckbeak, he caused Malfoy pain."
"Fourth year you saved Gabrielle Delacour. And Fleur, and Krum, and Winky."
"But I never hated them, the Delacours and Krum were strangers to me. I was just saving an innocent live. And Winky was also an innocent house elf. Ron, you're sucking at finding an example."
"Just wait, mate. Fifth year you saved Me, Hermione, Ginny, Luna and Neville in the Department of Mysteries."
"But I put you in more danger than needed."
"Sixth year, you saved Ginny, Hermione and I when you gave us the rest of you liquid luck."
"Ron I don't hate you guys. You said I save people I hate. Not a single one of these examples fit that criteria."
"In the Battle of Hogwarts you saved Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabhini from dying in the Room of Requirement. Explain that to me."
"You can't just leave someone to die. Plus, Draco saved our arses in Malfoy Manor by not selling me out to Bellatrix."
"True, but that was my main example. Harry, you would save anyone and everyone if possible. If it were up to you, anyone with good intensions would be immortal."
"No, if it were up to me everyone with good intensions would live a happy and full life and not die young, Is that too much to ask for?" Ron shook his head. Then crashing of thunder shook the tent and made the boys jump.
"Wait, was there supposed to be a storm today in Britain?" Ron asked quizzically.
"No it was going to be in Britain tomorrow. Wait, are we in Britain?"
"I'm starting to think we aren't."