AN: Thanks everyone for sticking with all this setup! I promise it'll get going eventually!

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A Broken Burrow

After some more time spent getting to know his godson the teens bid their goodbyes and apparated to the Burrow. As soon as he arrived felt uneasy, letting go of her hand he studied the house. Only the lights in the kitchen were on, so his feet led him to the front door. Upon entry, the first person to greet them was Mr. Weasley. "Ah good to see you both," he said gruffly as he pulled each into a hug. "Have some tea, I'll get everybody else down." They sat at the long table next to each other, he could tell she was as unnerved as he was at the lack of noise in the house. Hermione flicked he wand and poured herself and Harry tea each. Neither said a word to the other as they waited.

Ron was the first to appear. Odd seeing as his bedroom was at the top level. "Hey guys, how've you been." And without waiting for an answer he pulled them both into a hug. He sat down opposite them, just like at Hogwarts. Hermione poured him a mug, and without thanks he raised the it to his lips. "So what have you two been up to?"

Hermione answered. "Well after Harry woke up." She glared at him and Harry ginned back at her. "We've been preparing to go get my parents and Harry had to claim his inheritance. Then we visited Andromeda Tonks before we came here, Its been a hectic day."

"What do you mean preparing?"

"Well we had to book an International Portkey, This one had to get his apparation licence and I needed a new wand."

"When do you leave?"

"The day after tomorrow."

Ron jumped, nearly spilling tea all over himself. "What!? Did you guys think of how I'm going to be ready that fast?"

She took a deep breath. "I wasn't going to invite you."

The tips of Ron's ears started to go red. "Oh? And why not?" he nearly spat.

He could see her nearly pleading with him. "Because its been only two days and I figured you would need more time with your family. I really just want to see Mum and Dad again." She looked down at her tea.

"But I want to go to meet them."

"That's my point Ron, I'll have to restore their memories and after a year it will probably disorientate them for a while. I'd rather not have to introduce my boyfriend to them until they are settled back here and safe." But you're fine with me going with you?

Ron echoed his thoughts. "But he's going with you?"

"Yes because he's not my boyfriend Ron." There it is. "Plus he needs some time away from the press."

Ron huffed and crossed his arms, "I suppose that makes sense."

Harry sighed internally then spoke up. "I've never been on a holiday before Ron, you two can go back there on your own whenever you want."

As Ron nodded Hermione turned to him, sounding surprised, "What will you do when we're gone?"

"I dunno, maybe I'll look after Teddy."

They were interrupted by Ginny entering the kitchen, "Hey guys."

Hermione was the only one to reply, "Hey you." She got up and embraced the redhead. "Come sit."

Ginny complied and sat next to Ron, she studied Harry. "You've been busy, what's that on you finger?"

All of a sudden, the easy conversation he used to have with her seemed suck in his throat. He had no idea how to act anymore, so he stuck to simple answers. "Uhh my inheritance."

She reached out and grabbed his hand. "Why do you have two family rings?" Ron broke his gaze from Hermione and stared at Harry.

"Two?" He wondered.

"Well Sirius left me everything in his will, which included lordship over the house of black as he was the last one. And my dad wore the other one..."

Mr. Weasley entered the room, George must be in a bad way. "Did I hear that right Harry? Lordship over two families?"

"Only until Teddy is seventeen. I'll transfer it to him seeing as he is Andromeda's grandson."

Mr. Weasley's face turned very serious. "Do you realise what you could do with those two rings Harry? With those hereditary seats on the Wizengamot you could do much, especially with the sway of the originally conservative House of Black seat."

"Err, no idea really. I was going to ask Neville's grandmother or Andi after I got back."

"Augusta would be a fine choice, as would Andromeda in their separate ways. Looks like we will all be busy when you get... back? Where are you going?"

Harry's face when from confusion to happiness. "I'm going with Hermione to bring back her parents."

"Ah, good. It's always good to chat with them. You'll have to invite them around in time Hermione." He looked at her and she nodded. "Now if you'll excuse me I'll go check on Molly."

Harry peered up the stairs, "Where's George?"

Ron looked sombre, "He hasn't left his room since we got back."

Harry stood up, "I'll go talk to him." Hermione nodded and Ginny wished him good luck, Ron was silent as he started up the stairs. On the first landing he found the room he slept in after Dumbledore brought him to the burrow years back. He knocked, there way no response. "George, it's Harry." He knocked once more. Sod it. "Alohamora." The lock clicked and he opened the door to find George huddled against the wall. It reminded him of his summer after Sirius died, and then he had it, he would get George out of his funk.

With George making no mention to affirm Harry's presence in his room, he wandered over to the stacks of boxes against the wall. He opened one and was about to grab something when a croak interrupted him. "I wouldn't do that if I was you."

Facing away Harry grinned. Knew it. He turned around. "Why do you keep this stuff in the house if its so dangerous?"

At last, a semblance of a smile. "I was hoping ickle Ronniekins would get nosy. There's a prototype of a bag that that pranks anyone who tries to access it except you."

"Good to see my investment didn't go down the drain. What have you got planned for next year."

He brightened even more. "Well we have-" he dropped his head.

Harry sat on the bed close to him. "You still have those plans Forge, you just need to implement them for the both of you now. It's not like you can't, you two were a hive mind and I know that he lives on with you." George sniffled. "Every time I met someone that knew my father you know what they would say? You look just like James, they expected me to carry on his legacy of trouble making and general shenanigans. Although it would've been hard to top you both in that department."

"Don't say it, remembering school makes it worse."

"Do you think you can't live without him?"

"I've never had to before."

"He never left you George, He lives on with you, with the shop. It's not called Gred and Forge's joke shop. It's called Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, granted you'll need some help to run that zoo but you can do it. Carry on his legacy, and make a toffee that makes your balls shrink or something I dunno."

George gave a watery chuckle. "Good idea Harry."

"Everyone downstairs is worried about you George join us. For once they aren't worried about you playing a prank on them." He held out a hand.

George took it and Harry pulled him up. "I knew you were one of us Harry. You've given me a good idea for a prank." The look on the younger ones face made him pause, "Don't worry I'll spare our biggest investor." He clapped him on the back. "See you down there." He winked at Harry as he left the room.

On his way downstairs he realised he didn't ask if he should tell them George should be right down or not. His fathers instincts told him to not mention the fact that George was feeling better. He arrived in the kitchen to find Ron and Hermione very close to each other talking quietly. Ignoring the odd feeling in his chest he looked around for Ginny and found he leaning against the chair in the opposite room, looking at him.

"No luck?"

Harry shook his head.

"Can we talk, outside?" Harry nodded and she led them out the door into the garden. He had expected this but it didn't mean he knew what to do about it. He just felt so different now, he didn't know what he wanted to do. Except to meet Hermione's parents, he felt the need to apologise to them for letting their daughter go through so much pain. He looked around to find Ginny looking at him again. "What are you thinking about?"

"The future."

"Good, that's what I wanted to talk about."

He sighed. Here we go. "I know Gin, I saw this coming, thought I still don't know what to do."

"How can you not know? We pick up where we left off." He sagged against the wall.

"I'm not sure I want to do that Gin."

Her face fell into the oddest expression. "Why?"

"I'm not sure I can tell you."

Her expression now looked deadly. "Try. You owe me that Harry, I waited a whole year for you to come back, even if I didn't know if you would or not."

He took a deep breath and paused, trying to figure out how to put it in words. "When we got together it was incredible. You knew the real me and it meant I could just do normal things, normal teen things. Kiss, cuddle by the lake it was one of the happiest times of my life, even if I knew the whole time I would need to end it before I left to... Find stuff to defeat Tom."

"You went out with me knowing full well you would break up with me?"

"Yes, I gave you my reasons for doing that a year ago. Do you have a problem with that?"

Her voice was stony. "Yes Harry, I thought you dumped me because you realised you had the hide it later on in the relationship. Not that you knew BEFORE we went out that you would cast me aside."

"Does it make a difference?"

"YES!"

"Why?"

She huffed. "Because it means you were using me!"

Was I? "I never intended to use you Gin, I thought I loved you."

Silence.

"You mean you don't now?

"I don't know, I don't feel the same way as I used to."

"What do you mean?"

"I felt terrible about dumping you, and then the way you wanted to say goodbye had me feeling all kinds of things. We spent so long in that tent, I used to watch you with the Marauders Map. Just to know you were ok. It was lonely as hell, even with them there." She moved to the window and looked in. He could swear she looked angrily at them and he had no idea why.

She moved back to her original spot, looking hard at him. "Then what happened?"

"The hor-we all started to get angry at each other, Ron especially after he got splinched. Then we had a row and he left-"

"He left you both?"

"Yeah." He continued. "It was even more lonely when left, we didn't do anything for weeks she was so upset after he left. Then we had a run in with Voldemort and my Wand got broken and I was injured. Then all this other stuff happened and I stopped looking for you on the map. It just... wasn't important, then we met at Hogwarts and it just wasn't the same. Granted I was kind of busy but I just..." he trailed off. "I grew up, I'm really sorry Gin but I just can't get back with you. It wouldn't be good for either of us."

"It's someone else isn't it?"

"What? No. There's no one else for me right now Gin.

She looked at him incredulously. "You really have no idea do you?

"What?"

"There's been only one girl for you all along."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"It's Hermione." She studied him.

"Err. No, she's with Ron?"

"Oh, is that the only reason not to?" Harry was stunned into silence.

Ginny laughed softly. "Of course you don't know, It's not like you figured it out after six years to what should be different now. She helped me with you, you know?" Harry just stared at her. "I asked her how to get close to you and what she said worked alright."

"What did she say?"

"Ha! She knows you better then you know yourself Potter. No I'm not going to tell you, It's gonna make it real awkward when you figure it out."

Silence.

"I'm so sorry Gin."

"You should be, But at least I understand now." She made to walk back into the house but he grabbed her arm.

"Friends? I don't want to lose you gin."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Sure, if you can handle it." He grinned at her as she walked back inside. He went back to leaning against the wall. What the hell did Hermione say to her to get me to date her? An odd squeak drew his attention and he walked back into the kitchen to find the table being piled with food courtesy of Mrs Weasley. He found a red faced Ron being consoled by Hermione.

When Molly saw him she pulled him into another bone-crushing hug, "Good to see you dear."

"Thanks for having us for dinner."

"You can come whenever you like Harry." She bustled back to the kitchen and he turned to the scene at the table.

"Ron what's wrong." Ron tried to speak but the noise that came out sounded much like a dogs squeaky toy. He turned to a laughing Ginny. "Did you do this?"

"No, this has all the hallmarks of Georges work."

A voice came from the stairs. "Well spotted little sister."

Ginny squealed "George!" she ran to hug him.

After he released her he turn to Ron, "It's rude to start when everyone eating is not present Ronniekins." Ron scowled at him. Then Arthur and Molly entered the room, "Georgie!" She hugged him. "Wow mum, you'd think I left or something."

After dinner (which Ron squeaked the whole way through until Molly ordered George to release him.) They all decided upon an early night. Which was of course why Harry could not fall asleep. He'd silenced Ron's snores but all he could think of was what Hermione had told Ginny to do to get him to date her. Of course she knew him better than anyone else but that doesn't explain how she knows what makes him date someone. At some point his brain must have given up because he did fall asleep eventually.

...