Author's Note: Hello all, welcome back. We're still having some fluffy goodness with the next few chapters, but there are some very important developments in these chapters. Thanks to my team: Arnel, Stephanie and Ben, for whipping me into shape. The song is a classic, I used the Michael Buble version only because his voice makes me melt. (**Sigh**). Enjoy all. See you later this week. MNF

Chapter 25:

My Funny Valentine

February 12, 1999

Ginny POV:

Even though I lived with Hermione and Luna, we rarely saw each other outside class or meals when we were in France. The way the dormitories were set up, if we wanted to revise alone we could. After deciding we'd come home for the weekend, I invited both of them, as well as Hannah, Padma and Susan to join us for a sleepover at the Burrow. George had moved back into his flat above the store and was generally doing better. Ron was hoping he'd be able to back off from his duties soon, and begin preparing to enter the Auror school in the fall. Charlie was home for the weekend too, but he basically used his bedroom as a place to sleep and change clothes. He rarely even ate here anymore. As far as I knew, he was spending his time in England with Seph or he was working on his house.

"Oh, that is just ugly," I remarked as I flipped the page in the Muggle wedding magazine. Susan and I were looking at bridesmaids dresses, little we were seeing was something to consider.

"Let me see," my fellow bride called and turned the page back and held it up for her to look at. "That is atrocious. What do they call that color? Vomit?" I turned the picture on its side so I could read the purchasing information which was along the crease.

"Spring bud," I replied through my laugh. "Won't work for us, neither of us are getting married in the spring."

"Ah, good," she joked back. Even the cut of the dress was unflattering. I kept flipping through the magazine, not finding anything I liked.

"Have you picked out a color yet?" Hermione asked. I knew she was worried about what I'd choose.

"I'm still leaning toward a sort of sea green," I explained to her. "Or a robin-egg blue. It will depend on what we find when we go out shopping. I'm pretty much open-minded though. I want something which looks good on you and the rest of my attendants."

"Thank you," she gushed. She had been in a family wedding two years ago, and the dress was a hot pink, short-skirted mess.

"After what I had to wear for Fleur's wedding," I made a disgusted face, "I will make sure all of you look good, too. The dress clashed with my hair."

"What about a style, Ginny?" Hannah asked. "My cousin had trouble because her attendants were all different sizes. Yours are all different heights. How are you going to make it work?" She was right; Hermione was shorter than I, as was Luna. Fleur and I were about the same height and Seph and Audrey was much taller than all of us. I hadn't really thought about it. Also, a dress Luna or Hermione might be willing to wear may be too immature looking for Seph.

"I don't know yet, but I'm not opposed to picking a color and then letting everyone choose a dress in a style which flatters their body. Fleur isn't even going to be able to go shopping until after the baby is born. Do any of you have any suggestions?"

"Do you want us to wear Muggle dresses or dress robes?" Hermione asked.

"I'm leaning toward dresses, since I want the wedding to be more informal. I really do not want an overblown affair. Family and friends sharing good food, beer and dancing. No media, no interviews, no photographers," I emphasized.

"Good luck with that," Susan remarked. "We get at least two or three calls a week asking to interview Harry. They'll call the brewery to get information about your wedding." I groaned when I heard this. "Don't worry, I don't tell them anything. Ms Gwynn made it perfectly clear when she hired me divulging personal news of any kind would get me fired. Gossip is forbidden."

"Thanks, and I'm sorry you need to deal with that." Susan pretended to bat away my apology, as if it were as real as a bug buzzing around her face.

"It's my job and it's not often. Otherwise, I love working at the brewery," she lifted her stein to her mouth and swallowed down one of the company's wares. "So did anyone else happen to catch the snogging action in the offices this morning?" She had a mischievous smile and the other girls shook their heads.

"Wait, I thought you just said you weren't going to gossip?"

"I don't gossip to anyone outside the brewery; however, everyone in this room is affiliated in some way, so it doesn't count," she countered. I giggled at her, as did everyone else.

"So, who did you catch snogging?"

"Charlie and Perri were rather passionately going at in on her couch, with the door wide open," Susan giggled. "I wondered if he was going to attempt to swallow her."

"Oh, don't pick on them," Hannah defended the pair, "they're so cute together. Perri's been whistling every day when she comes to check things in the Tap Room."

"She's working on something secret when she's in the potions room as well," Padma added. "I don't know what she's up to, but if it's as good at the new one she made last month, we are going to have another best seller."

I listened to everyone talk about my brother and his girlfriend, and relished the happy stories. Charlie had never had much luck with girls, and I knew his heart had been broken before. When Harry ended things between us right after Dumbledore's funeral, it had been Charlie I commiserated with over ice cream. Of all of my brothers, Charlie deserved a good woman in his life, and I was certain Seph was it.

"How do you feel about the two of them, Ginny?" Hermione asked.

"I think they're great together, and they are good for each other. However, if you ever catch them doing more than snogging, please don't tell me. That's more information than any little sister should ever have!" Everyone laughed and it felt so good to be having a night like this. A year ago I wouldn't have imagined it could be.

Mum called from downstairs, telling us she had snacks and three of the girls stood up to get them from her, leaving me with Hermione and Luna. It was the perfect opportunity to discuss something more private with them.

"Hermione, I know you and Harry write to each other. Has he said anything else about his father's journals to you?" she shook her head.

"I know Ron and Neville had a talk with him, reminding him there were too many people depending on him to be reckless in his actions. He hasn't said anything since," she explained. I sighed with relief.

"Thank goodness. I don't know what I'd do if he did something stupid. Maybe he's given up the idea," I commented.

"I don't know," Luna remarked. "Harry doesn't usually let things go when he gets an idea in his head.' I knew she hadn't meant to, but her comment sucked the excitement right out of me.

"Ginny, we're just going to have to trust Harry," Hermione said as she took my hand and gave it a squeeze. The girls returning with food and drinks brought the conversation back to snogging, dresses and boys, but I couldn't suppress the nagging worry in the back of my mind.

"Stop it, Charlie! You're getting paint in my hair!" I screeched at him, even as I pulled my wand out and removed the green glob which had fallen on my crown. We were on the last room which needed work, the third and smallest of the bedrooms. The design of this room was intriguing. The background was a medium green color, and today he had me drawing intersecting vines all over one wall, which he would paint in on another day. He'd also purchased a set of bunk beds for the room as well.

"Charlie, what are planning to do with this room?"

"Well, I thought it would be good if Connor had a room for himself at my house," he told me. "Seph and I are spending a lot of time together and the little guy still needs to nap in the afternoon. This way he has his own room to do it in."

"You have it bad, big brother," I gently teased and he just made a silly smile on his face and nodded. "Have you talked with Seph about it?"

"I wanted to surprise her," he told me. "It's not like I'm going to be living here for another month, but I can see both of them spending time with me." I put down my quill and wand and pulled him into a hug.

"You have no idea how happy I am for you," I quietly explained. "You are very good for her, too. I don't remember her ever being so relaxed."

"I hope so, Gin. She hasn't had it very easy. She definitely deserves to live happily now." There was a devotion in his voice which I recognized from the way Dad talked about Mum and Bill used when he spoke of Fleur. I picked up my tools from the stool I'd laid them on and returned to work.

"So, have you decided what you're going to do next year?"

"I have, I think," I answered. Harry chose that moment to return from the sink in the cellar where he'd left the brushes he used to complete the trim. Once the walls were done only the ceiling remained.

"I couldn't even get the paint to come out using magic," he complained. "This stuff is just too thick."

"Don't worry about it, Harry. This is the last room, and I swear if I never paint another wall again, it will be too soon. Explains why Mum and Dad haven't changed the paint at home since I was a kid. This is just too much work," Charlie stated. "So, sis, what are you doing next year?"

"Well, this spring I'm going to be trying out for the professional Quidditch squads. I love it so much, and I figure this is right time in my life to go for it," I explained.

"Ginny, that's bloody brilliant. Had I not been accepted into the dragon program right out of Hogwarts, I probably would have tried as well." He leaned down and kissed my head, not too far from where the paint blob was on me.

"What about you, Harry? Going to keep brewing beer? Play Quidditch? Join Ron at the Auror school?" I was anxious to hear Harry's answer as well. We hadn't discussed this much.

"Well, I'll always be involved with the brewery in some way. I like how it connects me to my parents and Sirius," he explained and I saw something flicker in my brother's eye when Harry's godfather was mentioned. It disappeared as quickly as it came. "But, I really haven't decided if I want to play Quidditch or become an Auror. Thankfully, I don't need to decide this just yet."

"True, true, but don't leave it too long. You'll have a wife you need to support soon," Charlie joked.

"Not a problem there, mate," Harry responded in the same light tone.

"Harry, Charlie, Ginny, are you here?" Seph was somewhere in the house calling for us. I hadn't realized she'd be here today.

"We're in the little bedroom, love," Charlie called back to her. "I wonder why she's here? She was supposed to be working all day."

"She was going to some festival," Harry explained. "If Gin hadn't come home, and if it wasn't Valentine's weekend, I would have been with her." Seph's rapid footsteps clapped along the wood floors, and she breezed into the room. She looked amazing. Her hair was pulled up into a curly ponytail, making her look younger than her years. She was wearing a grey pencil skirt with a flare at her knees, her white button down with the company logo on it and those super high red peep-toe pumps. I seriously coveted those shoes.

"What happened, sweetheart? Where's Connor?" Charlie asked as his hands settled on her waist. Seph had a pair of medals in her hands.

"Connor's at home with Elizabeth," she explained. "I just came from the beer contest. Harry, we won two awards. The Caramel Double-Cream Stout won best in contest and the She Said Yes! won the lambic category. Both are going to the Independent Brewers Nationals in April!" She threw her arms around Charlie and hugged him tightly. She then hugged Harry and me. I was careful to only touch her with the heels of my hands as my fingers were quiet dirty.

"That is amazing, love," Charlie gushed at her before kissing her forehead. "Tell you what, I think we should all go and celebrate? We could go to the Rose and Crown?"

"We're already going out tomorrow," Seph sounded disappointed even as she said it. "I've been gone all day. I don't want to leave Connor with Elizabeth tonight, and then have him spend tomorrow night at your parents."

"So, we bring him along," Charlie suggested and Seph beamed.

"Really? You don't mind?"

"Seph, he's my favorite little tyke. You two are a package deal, and we should celebrate that way," he told her and I couldn't help but smile with her. She stretched her neck and kissed him quickly. It was the first time I'd ever seen them kiss. They weren't big on the public displays of affection.

"I'm going to head home, change and get Connor ready. Should we meet you here or at the pub?"

"Go to the pub," he explained. "Water still isn't on here, so I'll go to the Burrow and change."

"Sounds perfect. Harry, thank you, you really have breathed new life into the company," she told him before she kissed his cheek. She floated out of the room and then the house with as much energy as she'd come in with.

"Do you think she noticed the room?" I wondered aloud.

"I don't think she was paying a bit of attention," Charlie remarked and we all began cleaning up for a night of celebration.