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Challenges listed at the bottom.

Word Count: 531

Written for Assignment 5: Floristry: Task #4: Celosia: Write about affection between family members.

Read Me A Story

Ginny slumped on the sofa, playing with a loose thread on the jumper she'd thrown over her pyjamas. It was one of George's old ones that she'd stolen; they shared their first initial after all, and she'd always preferred oversized jumpers.

It was late—or early—but the nightmares had been particularly bad. They always were when Harry wasn't in the house. Odd, given that her mum wouldn't let them share a room even when he was, but Ginny just felt better knowing he was there.

Just up the stairs, bunking with Ron, or sometimes with George.

Tonight, Harry was at Grimmauld, with Ron and Hermione. He'd decided to try and make the place into somewhere he could, if not live himself, perhaps rent out.

It was a good use of his time, and she thought that it helped him settle his mind; gave him the distraction he needed at the moment.

"Gin?"

Ginny blinked and then smiled at her brother. Percy padded across the room, rubbing at his eyes behind his glasses. His hair was all over the place, always fun to see given the way Percy prided himself on his put-together appearance most of the time.

He sat down beside her and she leant into him as he lifted his arm, a familiar position from when she was a small child and he'd sit and read books to her for hours and hours.

His fingers threaded through her hair, catching on the odd tangle and she closed her eyes. It had been so long since she'd relaxed with Percy, her once favourite brother.

Between his leaving the family, the war, Harry… there hadn't been a chance.

"He'll be okay, you know?" Percy offered softly. "Eventually. We all will."

She blinked up at him. "Who?"

"Harry."

"I wasn't—"

"You watch him when you think nobody is looking, and you never sleep well when he spends the night away. I pay attention, Gin."

Ginny chuckled. "I thought I was being subtle."

"I think it's probably natural," Percy said, shrugging. "The two of you were parted for the most stressful year of your lives when you hadn't been together long."

"He broke up with me, you know? Before he left. Said he didn't expect me to wait for him," Ginny said quietly.

"But you did," Percy replied, and it wasn't a question.

"I did."

"And now?" Percy asked. "Are you back together?"

Ginny felt her cheeks heat but she nodded. "We talked last week. He wants to take it slow, but… he loves me, Perce."

"I know that. I can see that. I was… caught up in all the wrong things and I threw some awful accusations about Harry, but I know that man loves you, Gin."

She smiled at him and snuggled closer into his side. He squeezed her, and then silently summoned a book from the shelf in the corner, opening it to the first page.

His voice washed over her, and she smiled even as her eyes fell shut once more as her big brother read to her like he had when they were younger.

Harry would be back soon, and until then, she had her family to keep her sane.

Written for:

365: 70. Weasley Jumper

Scavenger Hunt: 26. Write about siblings

Fantastic Beasts: 149. Puffskein: Ginny Weasley