As always, JKR owns anything canon.

Finding a Date

As his sobs finally changed into hiccoughs, Harry started to wipe his eyes on his silk handkerchief. He was stopped by a small hand, which inserted a hot, damp towel into his grip. Thankful for the kindness, Harry removed his steamy glasses and wiped his eyes and face. After cleaning his glasses, he put them back on, hoping to see Ginny. Instead, a smaller, greenish face swam into his view. "Dobby?"

Before saying a word, the little elf took his hand and popped them from her study to his own study, where Harry sank onto his couch in exhaustion. "Missy Weezy is talking to Mama Weezy on the Floo." Harry had always thought it was rather cute that the elves continued to call Ginny "Missy Weezy" after their Bonding ceremony, rather than switching to calling her "Missy Potter"; because that was elves. They were hard to change. Fortunately, Ginny seemed to like it.

"Master Harry needs to go to bed," spoke the little elf.

Harry sighed, because it looked like another night on the couch. "Please, get some bedding and my night things."

Dobby nodded, and then asked, "Does Harry WANT to sleep on the couch, or would be prefer a bedroom?" Now, the elf asking before obeying was quite strange, but Dobby and Harry had always had a more relaxed relationship than most. After all, Dobby was still a Free Elf, and proud of it.

"I would prefer to sleep in a bed, of course, but I don't want to go through the hall where Ginny is."

"This Manor has many bedrooms - there is no need to sleep on the couch. Dobby can make a doorway from here to any room Master Harry wants to use."

Now that was a great idea! "Find me a bedroom suite as far as possible from Ginny's! Use one on a different floor, at the other end of the house!" Harry was liking this idea, and was thinking of details. "Make the doorway right by the en-suite here, and make it invisible to anyone except me and you. Put extra notice-me-not and aversion charm there, too, so no one (he was thinking of Ginny) even goes over there. Go to the new bedroom and remove any other doors leading into it, including the hall, and any connecting to other rooms. Put extra privacy and silencing charms on the walls, floor, and ceiling too. Put notice-me-nots outside on any windows or balcony. Then get all my things moved in there - my everyday clothes, and my personal stuff if it isn't already in here. Don't bother with my fancy, formal robes. You can bring them when I need them."

Dobby nodded cheerfully, and popped away. Harry sighed, and sank back into the cushions, thinking slowly. He eventually rose up and walked to the doorway, where he peeked to see if Ginny was coming. She was not, and the hall Floo was dark, so no one was using it now. He quickly and quietly put up proximity alerts in each direction, on the stairs, and even on the tiny wall Floo, so that he would know if Ginny approached his office. A quick point-me indicated Ginny was in her suite. A 'pop' behind him, and Dobby was back. On the previously blank wall there was now a nice paneled door, matching the en-suite.

Opening the new door, Harry found a large bedroom done in dark green and cream, with brass trim. It was light and airy. The French windows were open to a small balcony, with a breeze blowing the curtains back. To the side was a door to a walk in dressing room, and another tiled en-suite. High bookshelves of the same kind as in his office covered another wall, and a comfortable leather recliner which matched his couch sat by the lit fireplace, with a nice lamp on the table in addition to the ceiling fixture. A small runner rug in a flecked cream, with a green border, ran from beside the bed to the door, accenting the smooth hardwood floor.

Turning back to Dobby, Harry had a few last instructions: "This looks perfect! Thank you! If Ginny ever happens to ask, I'm always sleeping in my Study. In fact, put messy bedding on the couch every night to look as though I am sleeping there. If she asks about my clothes, you have hung them in the closet in the Study, but I doubt she notices." Dobby smiled, snapped his fingers causing bedding to appear on the couch, and popped away again.

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The next morning Harry was eating in the small, informal dining room (as opposed to the huge formal one used for parties) when Ginny came in. This was unusual because she rarely rose before 10. She was already dressed to go out, in floating robes of layered shades of gold, that Harry did not remember seeing before. She barely looked at him before saying "Be sure to get some new robes for dinner Saturday at the Tremblewhites."

Harry just looked at her, and then said "No. I'm not going. You will need an escort, so take your highly eligible brother Ron. It's time you found him a wife, and he will have a fine time discussing the Cannons with Lord Tremblewhite. I'll send my regrets, but I have a prior engagement."

Ginny looked at him in shock. How dare he? Her face turned puce as she started to swell. Harry could not avoid noticing how much she looked like Molly. Sputtering with multiple thoughts, she finally burst out with, "Ron has nothing suitable to wear! All he wears are shop robes in orange and magenta!"

Harry sipped his tea quietly, then said "So buy him some. You wanted me to get some new ones - just get him some." Ginny was, for once, speechless. She whirled around, clicking heels tapping down the corridor until the whoosh of the main Floo took her away.

Harry had another thought, and called Dobby. "We have been married over two years, and she has worn at least two to three outfits every day. I can't remember seeing any of them twice. What happens to her clothing when she's done with it?"

Dobby hung his head and pulled his ears. "There is dressing rooms full of her wore-once clothing, closets full of boxes of shoes. The elves gather everything up every day, clean and mend, and keep it ready but she never wants it again. Her maids despair. They have to keep moving things out of her closets to make space for the new ones."

Harry considered this quietly. He decided to check into high-end second hand stores, perhaps in the muggle world? He had heard of shops where clothing could be rented by the day or month. Perhaps he should consider starting one?

Once in his Study, Harry quickly sent appropriate notes to the Tremblewhites and to Hermione. Then he stepped back into the hall and used the small, shoulder-height Floo. "Ron, I need you to take Ginny to a dinner on Saturday... No, I can't make it... You'll enjoy it... Your host is Lord Tremblewhite, the owner of the Cannons... Ginny was insisting I get new robes, so I told her to get you some, instead... You'll probably need them again to take her other places when I'm busy... Thank you!" He disconnected with great relief, though he suspected he hadn't heard it all from Ginny.

Back at his desk, Harry once again considered the problem with the kookaburras. His field agent suggested shooting them, but Harry though something else would be better. Perhaps the whole colony, nests and all, could be netted and moved far away? Could they put up wards to keep them away? Were there any natural predators? Recordings of predator calls might deter the big birds. He wrote these thoughts in a letter and sent it off.

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Harry found he was sleeping much better with his own room. On Thursday morning, as he worked at his desk (researching dress shops) one of his alerts went off and a small globe of light showed Ginny coming down the stairs. He checked quickly to be sure the extra door was closed and shut off the alert. As Ginny came through the door he was putting aside the folders and closing the desktop. He waved his hand at the wireless and the news channel abruptly cut off. Ginny paid no attention to any of this. Harry doubted she knew what a computer was, though he had finally gotten Arthur working on one. Even the goblins used them now, as did most shops.

"Ron says you asked him to take me to the Tremblewhite's dinner. Do you know how incredibly rude that is? The invited US, the top couple in Society, and you are standing them up! Sending your shopkeeper brother-in-law is not suitable!"

"One, your friend Esther invited YOU, at the very last minute. I'm sort of the tag along, and I don't plan to go to any more Society dinners. I also have a prior commitment this weekend. Rudeness is cancelling dinners with old friends just because you got a fancier invitation.

Two. Your highly eligible brother is shopkeeper of a successful business, and more important, is as rabid about the Cannons as their owner. They will have a fine evening together. You get to talk to all your friends about finding a suitable wife for Ron, which ought to be a lot of fun for you. You had better get Ron's new robes ordered. We're about the same height but his shoulders are broader than mine. Get him dragon boots and a haircut, too.

Three is the fact that I really don't care anymore."

Once again, Ginny started swelling up and turning odd colors as she searched for words. This time Harry was saved by the Floo. Ginny's maid, Daisy, popped in to say that 'Mama Weezy is wanting Missy Weezy." Ginny spun on her heel and stomped to the hall Floo, which happened to be the one Harry had the alert on. Harry watched her yelling for a moment before cancelling the globe. Daisy looked alarmed, but popped away.

Ginny came back but simply said "I'm having dinner with my parents tonight," and left.

Harry opened his work again. After a while he called Dobby. "What did Ginny plan for dinner tonight?"

Dobby looked sad. "She has ordered that fancy fish stew, the French one called bouillabaisse. We has not started it yet. What time does Master Harry want to eat?"

Harry thought for a few minutes. "I want Shepherd's Pie and Treacle tart for lunch, about 1 PM will be good. I'll have tea to drink. For dinner, at 7, I want you to fix enough of the bouillabaisse for yourselves, with lots of buttered French bread. Put a used bowl with a bit of stew in it, and some bread crusts, on the table where I usually eat. This is a set-up. I want it to LOOK as though I ate there and you have not cleaned up. I suspect Ginny will slip home and try to catch me being contrary to her dictates. She knows I don't like bouillabaisse. However, I want you to fix me a steak and kidney pie, a plate of chips, and a pint of stout. Serve it in my new bedroom." Dobby bobbed happily. He wanted his Harry to be happy.

Later in the afternoon Harry went down to the dining room. First he checked it for charms and spells. He found a few listening charms, which he traced to Ginny's study. He found a steno-quill set in the closet. Thinking hard, he went back to the dining room and very gently relocated the charms to a teacup, which he moved to the hall. Then he set up another of his alert globes. He brought the teacup back and hung it in the hutch with the rest.

He went back to his study in a very thoughtful frame of mind. He already swept his study for charms and electronic 'bugs' every week, as a normal office security precaution. He had not thought the rest of his house needed it done, but apparently he was wrong. He ran a sweep of his study and new bedroom right away, and they came up clean. Then he went to his original suite, which he shared with Ginny. Her room and en-suite were clean, but his side had dozens of charms. It was like being at school again - almost everything he owned had a tracking tag or listening charm on it, even the formal robes in the closets. He went back to his study and called Dobby again. "I want the elves to very quietly check everything in the house for tracking charms and listening spells. I want a detailed list pf every item that has one, but do not remove them. I want to know whose magical signature is on each item. Do not discuss this order anywhere. I'll put a blank ledger in my desk for recording the list.

Apparently his ordinary clothing, the things he wore around the house, were untouched. Someone wanted to know where he went and what he said, but mostly when he was out of the house.

That night about 7:30 the dining room alert lit up. Harry watched as Ginny came into the room, looked at the remains on the table, and left again. He set the empty mug on his table, rinsed his face, and went out to his desk. Opening the dress shop files, he was deep in spreadsheets when the study door opened and Ginny came in. She seemed in a cheerful mood, and sat on his knee. What interested Harry was that he simply didn't feel any emotions about this at all. He tried to pay attention, anyhow. Reaching around her, he put away his work. Apparently, tonight he would sleep with her.

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Friday morning he ate alone. A long box was delivered, which was very exciting. Inside was the prototype for the new broom he had developed, that wasn't going to be on the market for months, the Hebridean Black. It was shining black, with a tiny gold crown around the tip, gold stirrups, and each twig of the tail also tipped in gold. It was a high performance sportster, capable of amazing acrobatics. Not only was it fast, but it could rise straight up at speed. It had uncanny stability charms. It was the latest in the series of dragon themed brooms that formed the core of Harry's fortune. He took it to his top floor workshop and began running diagnostics, testing every aspect of the runes and spells that made it work. Finally, there was only one thing to do: go flying! Harry joyfully pulled on his quiddich robes and goggles, opened the French door, and hurled himself over the balcony.

Instead of falling he rose, light and fluid as he crossed the gardens toward the pitch. It was a beautiful day to fly, sunny with breezes, and Harry took full advantage of the Black's possibilities. After hours that seemed like minutes he spotted Ginny crossing the paths, coming his way. Reluctantly he swooped toward her at high speed, causing a rush of wind around her. He then dropped to a stop. This was something they had always shared, the love of flying, and Ginny was almost as good as he was. However, she was not dressed for flying, instead wearing more of the silken robes she favored. This set was an embroidered sheath dress in sunny yellow, showing her slim waist, and a matching sheer three-quarter length vest lined in white. Tentatively, Harry offered, "Would you like a ride?" even as she shook her head. "Would you like a lift back to the house?" got a better response, and she carefully seated herself in front of Harry. He stayed low and went slowly along the paths.

He thought it a good time to ask "Do we have any free evenings this next week? I thought I'd make a reservation at the Lagoon, which is opening Wednesday. Or, lunch might be nice. It's supposed to be a very pretty place." He didn't mention that he had already made the reservation for Wednesday evening. Again, he was a major investor, and had been offered first choice. Ginny didn't know much about his business endeavors, and didn't want to. She thought talking about money was crass.

Ginny perked up immediately. "Wednesday evening would be perfect! Everyone who is anyone will be vying to be there! Make sure you get us a good table!" She hopped down on the patio and actually ran inside.

Harry followed her in and found her already talking to her friend Esther on the foyer Floo. He walked past them, unnoticed, and returned the Black to his workshop. This was another room he always swept for both bugs and magical snooping, because it would be an obvious place for industrial espionage. He almost missed the tiny tracking charm on his flying robe, which lit up as he waved his wand past the half-open closet door. Well, that explained how Ginny had known he was flying.

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Saturday afternoon Ron appeared, looking uncomfortable in grey silk formal robes. His hair was still in a pony tail, but it was now somehow crisp and stylish. He handed Harry a thumbnail sized chip. "Here are the monthly reports. George decided hand-to-hand is probably the safest way to send them, so you can go over them before the meeting on Wednesday morning." Harry was still a one-third owner of WWW, which was now growing at an astonishing rate, expanding into magical computers and other areas of electronics. Ron had turned out to be a computer whiz kid, and calling him a shopkeeper was about like calling Steve Jobs one. But, Ginny still thought of her brothers as running a small joke shop. It didn't help that Ron still lived at home and did, almost exclusively, wear the joke shop robes. His offices were in the old apartment above the original shop.

Once Ron had realized the reason electricity didn't work at Hogwarts (the uncontrolled magic from the children) he had quickly found safe ways to ground the ambient magic and feed it back into the ley lines. These same feeds could charge batteries and power house supplies. Suddenly, the magical world found itself going modern. George declared it the best joke he'd ever seen, and called Ron's enterprise "The Joke Shop" so much it had become the accepted unofficial name. WWW, in this world, meant the Weasleys were creating a magical Internet which connected to the muggle one. Since they also patented the grounded computers and other electronics, they were sweeping everything. George was opening new electronics shops in magical shopping areas almost every week. He was inquiring into expanding to other countries.

However, much of the wizarding world had grown up knowing 'electric stuff doesn't work around magic,' and remained in blissful ignorance of the fact that energy is energy and just has to be used correctly. Once Arthur had been caught up with a Science curriculum, his hobby had become a new life. The Director of Muggle Relations was important and well-paid. The rebuilt Burrow was as modern as Harry's home.

Harry and Ron waited for Ginny in the lounge at the front of the house. Harry was wearing a black suit tailored to him, with his long hair in a clip at his neck. Ginny hated him wearing mundane, but insisted that if he did it had to be 'bespoke', from a private tailor.

"I had better warn you that I gave Ginny the idea of finding you a wife. Be very careful of the pretty airheads she is likely to push at you. Fortunately most of the society ones won't realize who you are any more than she does, and won't be interested in her 'shopkeeper' brother even if you do clean up nice. If they do act interested, be careful that they aren't trying to get close to me. I suggest that you find a nice, ordinary woman quickly, someone with your same interests. Someone who can cook, would be a good start. I'd also make sure you have a lawyer set up a good pre-nup contract."

Ron groaned. "Thanks a lot! Mum is also interested in me marrying (and producing grandchildren) but she keeps inviting pretty clerks from the stores to dinner, as though I can't find my own dates. I think I'll finally have to find an apartment of my own."

Ginny came in at a quarter-past 7, which was actually a reasonable time to go. She ignored Harry, but examined Ron critically. "I guess you'll do. Remember, this dinner is important to me, with important people. Watch your table manners!" Ron, whose table manners had finally improved with strict training (by his older brothers,) just sighed and took her arm. They twisted and vanished. Harry also twisted and left.

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Harry appeared in a clean but shadowed alley next to a major hotel in downtown London. He walked to the front of the hotel, and waited a moment for a Limo. The one he had arranged for arrived promptly, and he absently tipped the Concierge who opened the door for him. In a few moments he was pulling up in front of an even larger hotel, where Hermione and her parents were waiting for him. They joined him, and Dr. Granger told the driver where he had made dinner reservations. By 8:00 they were being seated on a patio overlooking the Thames at London Bridge.

Hermione was also wearing a tailored suit, and her hair was down her back in smooth curls held in gold bars. Her parents were relaxed and tanned. Everyone ordered quickly, simple steaks and salads.

"So, where is Ginny? I haven't seen her since your Bonding ceremony. Honestly, I expected to hear you had a couple of children by now." Hermione's mother dropped the question, and Harry was embarrassed.

"She had a last-minute invitation from a friend. I refused to go, but talked her into taking Ron as her escort. The host of the dinner is the owner of his favorite quiddich team, so he will have a good time. No, Ginny says there is plenty of time to have children later." Harry turned to Hermione, "I rode the prototype of the Black yesterday. It is everything we wanted - smooth, acrobatic, fast and fun! That vertical ride is unique. Your rune work is perfect. I could not find a mistake anywhere! I think we are ready to schedule production." He was excited, and it showed.

Hermione actually blushed. "You are the craziest rider the company has. If you say it is ready, we can start arranging production on Monday. We should have pre-ordering available by May, and the first units should hit the stores shortly after that."

Dan spoke up, "No more shop talk. You two talk almost every day already. We're having a great trip, visiting old friends. Yesterday we went back to Crawley and visited our old practice. Several people we know are still there, and it was nice to visit. We had pizza delivered and talked all day. We're still glad we moved. We love Australia. We hated the winters here."

Harry had a thought, "Do you know anything about kookaburra? I'm having trouble with some on a silkworm farm. I'd like to do something non-lethal with them."

"You do have a problem. They are mated pairs, live in family groups, and are highly territorial. I'd try some wards to convince them there are hawks and eagles on your farm. They aren't likely to move voluntarily." Dan thought a minute, and added, "Do you know about falcon clubs? Airports hire them to work their birds near the runways. They aren't really hunting, but other birds see them stooping and diving, and decide to go somewhere else. This keeps birds out of the engines."

Harry immediately wrote himself a note. This sounded like a long term project that ought to work. Then he settled in for a long discussion of the glories of Australia.

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