Chapter 3: Second Thoughts
"So tell me exactly what happened." Harry looked at the muggle woman softly as she continued to weep.
"It was terrible. We were just standing here talking and then suddenly this group of people in black cloaks and masks appear out of thin air and start firing things at us. A lot of the bushes started on fire. And then there was this popping noise and a bunch of weirdly dressed men started after the men in the black cloaks. What just happened? Who were those people?" The muggle started crying harder now.
Harry sighed deeply. No one could tell him anything about what lead up to the attack. None of the muggles had any idea what really happened.
Most of the ministry officials were long gone now, leaving the Department of Muggle Relations employees (and Harry) to the long task of getting some kind of information about the attack and modifying memories back to the way they were. Harry was sitting with his last muggle trying to get anything out of the hysteric woman. It was nearing six as he raised his wand for the last time and uttered the specially designed memory charm to clear the muggle's head of everything that had happened today.
"Finite obliviate." He led the woman out the back of the tent he was in, slowly explaining the ministry's cover story before he let her go. He trudged back to the tent where Sirius was.
"Sirius, I taking off. I'm going to miss dinner if I don't leave now."
"Go! You should have left hours ago when Bode and the rest your department left."
"I wasn't going to let you guys handle this all on your own. You, Remus, Arabella and Mr. Fitch would've been here for ages."
"Well, we appreciate it Harry. Above and beyond the call of duty. I'll see you later." Sirius stood up from his piles of parchment where he had written notes and gave Harry a quick hug good-bye. Before Sirius could sit down again, Harry was gone.
*~*~*~*
"I don't know when he's going to be home, Mother. He told me that if he wasn't going to be here for dinner he would floo us. And I haven't heard anything since he left." Ginny sighed in defeat as she threw herself into her chair. She had spent the whole afternoon worrying about Harry and what had happened in Heathrow. Her father had come home insisting that everything was fine, but Ginny wouldn't be convinced until she saw Harry back in the house.
She stabbed at her salad as the clock struck six. Then, as if reading her mind, Harry appeared in the kitchen.
"Oh thank god!" Ginny pushed the chair away from the table so quickly she knocked it into the counter and sent a basket of bread flying through the air. She was at Harry's side in an instant pulling him into hug that he returned happily. "You're all right."
"I'm fine. Nothing bad happened after the Ministry Aurors got there. Just a long afternoon of modifying memories and getting no where with leads." Harry reluctantly let go and turned towards the table. "I'm sorry I'm late. Muggle Relations had their hands full today. Went through nearly 40 people myself before I called it quits." He pulled his chair out and took a seat.
"As long as you're okay, Harry dear. Ginny picked up the slack for you with dinner," Mrs. Weasley said passing Harry the chicken.
"Figured she would. Looks great, Gin. Especially the mangoes." Harry threw Ginny a smile as she broke into a fit of giggles. The rest of the family looked at them with no clue. "Nevermind."
Ron shrugged it off and dug back into his chicken.
*~*~*~*
Harry curled up onto the couch in the burrow's living room with Hermione sitting across from him. They had shooed Ginny and Ron away upstairs so they could talk.
"You okay Harry?"
"Yeah, I guess so. Today was horrible though. I mean, yeah there was Ginny and everything with her, and hell, that blew me away. But when I got to Heathrow this afternoon, it all seemed to drift away. It's been quiet lately, and we've finally gotten the chance to rest at the ministry. I mean, I just finished the last report on the last attack today, and I was looking forward to not having to deal with Voldemort for at least a week. And here I was, having a totally enjoyable afternoon with Ginny, and then, BAM! it all goes to hell again. And that place was terrible. And something tells me this is just the beginning." Harry sighed into his hands and pushed his hair back fretfully.
Hermione stood up and joined Harry on the couch, taking his hand.
"I'm trying Hermione. I really am. I'm trying to be happy and cheerful and not let things get me down, but it just keeps pushing at me. Nothing seems to come from anything I do over there. I type some stuff on a computer and print it out so we can look like were in order. But, truthfully, the ministry is in shambles. It's like we don't even know which way is up anymore.
"And then there's Ginny."
"What about Ginny?" Hermione asked, looking at him quizzically.
"She's gorgeous. I'm head over heels for her and all I want to do is protect her. But every time I get near her, something calls me away. I'm sure she's beyond angry at me for leaving all the time."
"Harry, I think the least of your problems is Ginny possibly being mad at you. I think the greeting you got this evening is enough to prove that to you."
"Perhaps your right."
"Of course I am. I'm always right."
"Thanks Herm. I can always count on you to put the situation in perspective for me," Harry said sarcastically.
"No problem. It's my job."
"You're daft Hermione. Completely daft."
"Perhaps." Hermione smiled at Harry. "But putting me aside for moment, we need to get back to you."
Harry sighed again. "Is being happy about things doing anything Hermione? I feel like I'm talking to nothing when I crack jokes. Like nothing I'm saying matters to anyone anymore." Harry slumped down, resting his head on Hermione's knee.
"Harry, of course we hear you. Can I be brutally honest with you?"
"Can this day get any worse?" Harry sat up quickly, throwing Hermione a wicked smile. Hermione pushed him back down.
"I was talking to Ron the other day. I'm not too sure how to say this to you, but Harry, you are a joy now. Not that you weren't before or anything, but since school has ended, I finally feel like I know you. And I know Ron feels the same way. And Ginny too. You have become the Harry that we all want to surround ourselves with. I think your bigger problem is worrying about me being mad at you because you're never around."
Harry chuckled and sat up slowly. "You really think that, Mione?"
"Uh-huh. And I'll find people to back me up on this one." Hermione smiled at Harry softly. "We love you Harry. All of us.
"Now about these Ministry issues, what do you plan on doing about it? It's obviously got you so turned around you're stressing your self out over little things."
"I can't leave the ministry Hermione. There's too much to do. It just feels like the whole world is on my shoulders. And one day it will be, and that's daunting."
"You need something to take your mind off it for a little while. Like Ginny. You are so focused on having everything in the world on top of you now, that you have no time for any happy thoughts. Now, if there were something to take your mind off it for a little while everyday, it would help immensely. You need a girl, Harry, if only for five minutes. And you know which one I mean. Now go upstairs and finish your conversation with her, and I don't want to hear you leaving until the two of you are dating!" Hermione pushed Harry from the couch and he landed on the floor with a loud clunk. Harry laughed as he stood up and looked at Hermione
"You're the best Mione."
"I know. Now get before I push you up the stairs!"
Harry started up the stairs.
"Oh, and could you send Ron down. I need to talk to him about some things."
"Sure," he called back and continued up. After getting Ron for Hermione, and gathering his courage, he walked towards Ginny's door.
'This is it Potter. Don't screw it up.'
*~*~*~*
Ginny sat on her bed, laptop on the bed before her and four words written on the screen.
'Muggles Attacked. Deatheaters Suspected.'
She had never claimed to be a journalistic genius, but for some reason, her boss thought she could whip out a front-page story in an evening for the next day's paper. She had nothing to write, even with the piles of notes that one of the interns had taken for her. None of her words could ever seem to do the attacks justice. She had finally resigned herself to having to ask Harry and Hermione for help. But, she had decidedly given up for the time being, sticking one of her CD's into her CD-ROM drive and hooking up her headphones.
The only reason she was in her room was because Harry had pushed her upstairs so he could talk to Hermione after dinner. It had to be the setting that was bothering her. She could never type in her room. She typed best in the family room, with Ron, Hermione and Harry around talking, or playing a game or just sitting by the fire. Ron and Hermione would bicker about some meaningless thing, and Harry and Ginny would share a private laugh as he braided her hair. That was when her ideas came smoothest. Around Harry.
She sighed and closed her eyes and began to mouth along with the words on the CD. She was so caught up in her CD she didn't notice Harry standing in her doorway. He stood and smiled amusedly at her until the song was over and she opened her eyes again.
"HARRY! Holy shit you scared me. What the hell were you thinking?"
"Sorry. I'll leave then."
"NO! I mean you don't have to. You just startled me. Come on in." Ginny removed her headphones and placed her laptop on her desk. Harry sat cross- legged on her bed. "So what's up?"
"Well, we were having a discussion before I got called away from you. Again. And I wanted to apologize. Every time we start talking, something comes up and I have to leave or something. I feel bad."
"Don't feel bad Harry, I understand. It's not like you want stuff to come up."
"I know. But I do. It racks me every time I leave. You seem so okay with it all, but, shit, we've been trying to have this conversation for what seems like years. And every time I'm about to get to my point, something else calls my attention from you. But tonight, we are going to finish this conversation if it kills me."
"It just may." Ginny smiled wickedly at him. "If you don't stop talking about this non-existent anger I have with you, I going to punch you."
"I've been having a rough day, ya know? And you seem to be able to put things straight for me. There's never a dull moment with you Gin." He chuckled. "So, anyway, I need to ask you something."
"Go for it."
"This is going to seem really weird, but I want you to answer me honestly, k?"
Ginny just nodded.
Harry reached to the back of his neck to scratch the bottom of his hair nervously. Ginny slapped his hand down. "Stop."
Harry glared at her as he always did. "I'm starting to regret asking you to stop me when I did that." Ginny just shrugged, as she slapped his hand down again.
"Stop." Another glare. Ginny grabbed his wrists. "Now talk." He pulled his wrists away.
"I'll stop. I promise." Ginny looked unconvinced, but let it go for the time being. Harry sighed deeply and began.
"This whole thing, me and this change and stuff. Is it worth anything? Like, do you like me now as a person and stuff?"
"Harry, I told you that crack was bad for you! Where are you coming up with this? You want to know the real truth? The real, whole, solid truth? Stop." Another slap. Another glare and a sigh of defeat.
"Well, yeah."
"I love you Harry Potter. And this whole "new Harry" thing made me fall for you even harder. If you enjoy the person you are, I can guarantee you that I love this person sitting next to me. If you feel the need to be someone else, I'll be right there with you. Something about you draws me to you, and it goes beyond the scar and the story.
"Any five-year-old could rattle off everything about your life, but I feel like I know you deeper than that. And this past year, I've figured out that I learned about you because I opened myself to the person you are behind the face and the name. And you let me in. And then last night you tell me you love me. And I flipped out. I went into my room and pushed my face into that pillow, cast a silencing spell and screamed until my throat was sore."
Harry laughed softly. "I'm trying to picture that. You're too much, you know? What gives you the gift to know exactly what to say at exactly the right time?"
"I'm not sure, because I've never done it before. I usually end up sticking my foot into my mouth. Stop." Slap. Glare. Sigh.
"You've always known what to say to me to make me fall for you."
"I guess I can add that to my list of successes, huh? For once I did what I set out to do concerning Harry Potter." Harry laughed out loud and took her hand.
"So I guess it's time for me to bear my soul to you now, huh? Well, Virginia Weasley, I am completely head-over-heels for you. Getting to know you has been a joy. And letting you get to know me has been a life changing thing for me. I had never let anyone but Hermione and Ron in on who I really was. And it has been a little hard to leave myself open to someone else, but I guess it all worked out. And there is nothing I would want more than to be able to share myself more with you, for you really do accept me for who I am."
Near tears, Ginny turned to Harry who was looking at the ceiling while he was talking. Harry wagered a look at her and saw her crying. "Oh, Ginny, come here." Ginny crawled into Harry's lap and he rubbed her back. Slowly, her crying subsided and she sat to look at Harry. He wore the same good-natured smile he always did, always genuine and inviting. "You alright?"
She could only nod. She just didn't trust her voice right now.
Harry smiled at her again, reassuringly. He reached behind his head to scratch the back of his neck again. "Stop." Ginny hit his hand down again. "You promised you'd stop." She grabbed his wrists again.
"Ya know, I only do it when I'm nervous now."
"Good. A little more practice and you'll stop doing it all together. I'm only helping because you asked me to."
Harry shook his head and laughed lightly. "Like I said. You're too much." With that, he closed the gap between their faces and kissed her softly, rejoicing in the fact that the conversation was finally over. And it had only taken two years.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N: So, the exchange between Harry and Ginny with the "Stop" thing is so true to life of my best friend and her boyfriend. It's really funny, because you can be having a conversation with them and this will be going on, but they never miss a beat in the conversation. I find it absolutely hilarious. Anyway, sorry it took me so long. I've rewritten this chapter like three times. Can you imagine? This was worse before! The story will pick up soon, promise. Just had to get them together. ON TO CHAPTER FOUR, (which I have half written, I just couldn't figure this chapter out.)
"So tell me exactly what happened." Harry looked at the muggle woman softly as she continued to weep.
"It was terrible. We were just standing here talking and then suddenly this group of people in black cloaks and masks appear out of thin air and start firing things at us. A lot of the bushes started on fire. And then there was this popping noise and a bunch of weirdly dressed men started after the men in the black cloaks. What just happened? Who were those people?" The muggle started crying harder now.
Harry sighed deeply. No one could tell him anything about what lead up to the attack. None of the muggles had any idea what really happened.
Most of the ministry officials were long gone now, leaving the Department of Muggle Relations employees (and Harry) to the long task of getting some kind of information about the attack and modifying memories back to the way they were. Harry was sitting with his last muggle trying to get anything out of the hysteric woman. It was nearing six as he raised his wand for the last time and uttered the specially designed memory charm to clear the muggle's head of everything that had happened today.
"Finite obliviate." He led the woman out the back of the tent he was in, slowly explaining the ministry's cover story before he let her go. He trudged back to the tent where Sirius was.
"Sirius, I taking off. I'm going to miss dinner if I don't leave now."
"Go! You should have left hours ago when Bode and the rest your department left."
"I wasn't going to let you guys handle this all on your own. You, Remus, Arabella and Mr. Fitch would've been here for ages."
"Well, we appreciate it Harry. Above and beyond the call of duty. I'll see you later." Sirius stood up from his piles of parchment where he had written notes and gave Harry a quick hug good-bye. Before Sirius could sit down again, Harry was gone.
*~*~*~*
"I don't know when he's going to be home, Mother. He told me that if he wasn't going to be here for dinner he would floo us. And I haven't heard anything since he left." Ginny sighed in defeat as she threw herself into her chair. She had spent the whole afternoon worrying about Harry and what had happened in Heathrow. Her father had come home insisting that everything was fine, but Ginny wouldn't be convinced until she saw Harry back in the house.
She stabbed at her salad as the clock struck six. Then, as if reading her mind, Harry appeared in the kitchen.
"Oh thank god!" Ginny pushed the chair away from the table so quickly she knocked it into the counter and sent a basket of bread flying through the air. She was at Harry's side in an instant pulling him into hug that he returned happily. "You're all right."
"I'm fine. Nothing bad happened after the Ministry Aurors got there. Just a long afternoon of modifying memories and getting no where with leads." Harry reluctantly let go and turned towards the table. "I'm sorry I'm late. Muggle Relations had their hands full today. Went through nearly 40 people myself before I called it quits." He pulled his chair out and took a seat.
"As long as you're okay, Harry dear. Ginny picked up the slack for you with dinner," Mrs. Weasley said passing Harry the chicken.
"Figured she would. Looks great, Gin. Especially the mangoes." Harry threw Ginny a smile as she broke into a fit of giggles. The rest of the family looked at them with no clue. "Nevermind."
Ron shrugged it off and dug back into his chicken.
*~*~*~*
Harry curled up onto the couch in the burrow's living room with Hermione sitting across from him. They had shooed Ginny and Ron away upstairs so they could talk.
"You okay Harry?"
"Yeah, I guess so. Today was horrible though. I mean, yeah there was Ginny and everything with her, and hell, that blew me away. But when I got to Heathrow this afternoon, it all seemed to drift away. It's been quiet lately, and we've finally gotten the chance to rest at the ministry. I mean, I just finished the last report on the last attack today, and I was looking forward to not having to deal with Voldemort for at least a week. And here I was, having a totally enjoyable afternoon with Ginny, and then, BAM! it all goes to hell again. And that place was terrible. And something tells me this is just the beginning." Harry sighed into his hands and pushed his hair back fretfully.
Hermione stood up and joined Harry on the couch, taking his hand.
"I'm trying Hermione. I really am. I'm trying to be happy and cheerful and not let things get me down, but it just keeps pushing at me. Nothing seems to come from anything I do over there. I type some stuff on a computer and print it out so we can look like were in order. But, truthfully, the ministry is in shambles. It's like we don't even know which way is up anymore.
"And then there's Ginny."
"What about Ginny?" Hermione asked, looking at him quizzically.
"She's gorgeous. I'm head over heels for her and all I want to do is protect her. But every time I get near her, something calls me away. I'm sure she's beyond angry at me for leaving all the time."
"Harry, I think the least of your problems is Ginny possibly being mad at you. I think the greeting you got this evening is enough to prove that to you."
"Perhaps your right."
"Of course I am. I'm always right."
"Thanks Herm. I can always count on you to put the situation in perspective for me," Harry said sarcastically.
"No problem. It's my job."
"You're daft Hermione. Completely daft."
"Perhaps." Hermione smiled at Harry. "But putting me aside for moment, we need to get back to you."
Harry sighed again. "Is being happy about things doing anything Hermione? I feel like I'm talking to nothing when I crack jokes. Like nothing I'm saying matters to anyone anymore." Harry slumped down, resting his head on Hermione's knee.
"Harry, of course we hear you. Can I be brutally honest with you?"
"Can this day get any worse?" Harry sat up quickly, throwing Hermione a wicked smile. Hermione pushed him back down.
"I was talking to Ron the other day. I'm not too sure how to say this to you, but Harry, you are a joy now. Not that you weren't before or anything, but since school has ended, I finally feel like I know you. And I know Ron feels the same way. And Ginny too. You have become the Harry that we all want to surround ourselves with. I think your bigger problem is worrying about me being mad at you because you're never around."
Harry chuckled and sat up slowly. "You really think that, Mione?"
"Uh-huh. And I'll find people to back me up on this one." Hermione smiled at Harry softly. "We love you Harry. All of us.
"Now about these Ministry issues, what do you plan on doing about it? It's obviously got you so turned around you're stressing your self out over little things."
"I can't leave the ministry Hermione. There's too much to do. It just feels like the whole world is on my shoulders. And one day it will be, and that's daunting."
"You need something to take your mind off it for a little while. Like Ginny. You are so focused on having everything in the world on top of you now, that you have no time for any happy thoughts. Now, if there were something to take your mind off it for a little while everyday, it would help immensely. You need a girl, Harry, if only for five minutes. And you know which one I mean. Now go upstairs and finish your conversation with her, and I don't want to hear you leaving until the two of you are dating!" Hermione pushed Harry from the couch and he landed on the floor with a loud clunk. Harry laughed as he stood up and looked at Hermione
"You're the best Mione."
"I know. Now get before I push you up the stairs!"
Harry started up the stairs.
"Oh, and could you send Ron down. I need to talk to him about some things."
"Sure," he called back and continued up. After getting Ron for Hermione, and gathering his courage, he walked towards Ginny's door.
'This is it Potter. Don't screw it up.'
*~*~*~*
Ginny sat on her bed, laptop on the bed before her and four words written on the screen.
'Muggles Attacked. Deatheaters Suspected.'
She had never claimed to be a journalistic genius, but for some reason, her boss thought she could whip out a front-page story in an evening for the next day's paper. She had nothing to write, even with the piles of notes that one of the interns had taken for her. None of her words could ever seem to do the attacks justice. She had finally resigned herself to having to ask Harry and Hermione for help. But, she had decidedly given up for the time being, sticking one of her CD's into her CD-ROM drive and hooking up her headphones.
The only reason she was in her room was because Harry had pushed her upstairs so he could talk to Hermione after dinner. It had to be the setting that was bothering her. She could never type in her room. She typed best in the family room, with Ron, Hermione and Harry around talking, or playing a game or just sitting by the fire. Ron and Hermione would bicker about some meaningless thing, and Harry and Ginny would share a private laugh as he braided her hair. That was when her ideas came smoothest. Around Harry.
She sighed and closed her eyes and began to mouth along with the words on the CD. She was so caught up in her CD she didn't notice Harry standing in her doorway. He stood and smiled amusedly at her until the song was over and she opened her eyes again.
"HARRY! Holy shit you scared me. What the hell were you thinking?"
"Sorry. I'll leave then."
"NO! I mean you don't have to. You just startled me. Come on in." Ginny removed her headphones and placed her laptop on her desk. Harry sat cross- legged on her bed. "So what's up?"
"Well, we were having a discussion before I got called away from you. Again. And I wanted to apologize. Every time we start talking, something comes up and I have to leave or something. I feel bad."
"Don't feel bad Harry, I understand. It's not like you want stuff to come up."
"I know. But I do. It racks me every time I leave. You seem so okay with it all, but, shit, we've been trying to have this conversation for what seems like years. And every time I'm about to get to my point, something else calls my attention from you. But tonight, we are going to finish this conversation if it kills me."
"It just may." Ginny smiled wickedly at him. "If you don't stop talking about this non-existent anger I have with you, I going to punch you."
"I've been having a rough day, ya know? And you seem to be able to put things straight for me. There's never a dull moment with you Gin." He chuckled. "So, anyway, I need to ask you something."
"Go for it."
"This is going to seem really weird, but I want you to answer me honestly, k?"
Ginny just nodded.
Harry reached to the back of his neck to scratch the bottom of his hair nervously. Ginny slapped his hand down. "Stop."
Harry glared at her as he always did. "I'm starting to regret asking you to stop me when I did that." Ginny just shrugged, as she slapped his hand down again.
"Stop." Another glare. Ginny grabbed his wrists. "Now talk." He pulled his wrists away.
"I'll stop. I promise." Ginny looked unconvinced, but let it go for the time being. Harry sighed deeply and began.
"This whole thing, me and this change and stuff. Is it worth anything? Like, do you like me now as a person and stuff?"
"Harry, I told you that crack was bad for you! Where are you coming up with this? You want to know the real truth? The real, whole, solid truth? Stop." Another slap. Another glare and a sigh of defeat.
"Well, yeah."
"I love you Harry Potter. And this whole "new Harry" thing made me fall for you even harder. If you enjoy the person you are, I can guarantee you that I love this person sitting next to me. If you feel the need to be someone else, I'll be right there with you. Something about you draws me to you, and it goes beyond the scar and the story.
"Any five-year-old could rattle off everything about your life, but I feel like I know you deeper than that. And this past year, I've figured out that I learned about you because I opened myself to the person you are behind the face and the name. And you let me in. And then last night you tell me you love me. And I flipped out. I went into my room and pushed my face into that pillow, cast a silencing spell and screamed until my throat was sore."
Harry laughed softly. "I'm trying to picture that. You're too much, you know? What gives you the gift to know exactly what to say at exactly the right time?"
"I'm not sure, because I've never done it before. I usually end up sticking my foot into my mouth. Stop." Slap. Glare. Sigh.
"You've always known what to say to me to make me fall for you."
"I guess I can add that to my list of successes, huh? For once I did what I set out to do concerning Harry Potter." Harry laughed out loud and took her hand.
"So I guess it's time for me to bear my soul to you now, huh? Well, Virginia Weasley, I am completely head-over-heels for you. Getting to know you has been a joy. And letting you get to know me has been a life changing thing for me. I had never let anyone but Hermione and Ron in on who I really was. And it has been a little hard to leave myself open to someone else, but I guess it all worked out. And there is nothing I would want more than to be able to share myself more with you, for you really do accept me for who I am."
Near tears, Ginny turned to Harry who was looking at the ceiling while he was talking. Harry wagered a look at her and saw her crying. "Oh, Ginny, come here." Ginny crawled into Harry's lap and he rubbed her back. Slowly, her crying subsided and she sat to look at Harry. He wore the same good-natured smile he always did, always genuine and inviting. "You alright?"
She could only nod. She just didn't trust her voice right now.
Harry smiled at her again, reassuringly. He reached behind his head to scratch the back of his neck again. "Stop." Ginny hit his hand down again. "You promised you'd stop." She grabbed his wrists again.
"Ya know, I only do it when I'm nervous now."
"Good. A little more practice and you'll stop doing it all together. I'm only helping because you asked me to."
Harry shook his head and laughed lightly. "Like I said. You're too much." With that, he closed the gap between their faces and kissed her softly, rejoicing in the fact that the conversation was finally over. And it had only taken two years.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N: So, the exchange between Harry and Ginny with the "Stop" thing is so true to life of my best friend and her boyfriend. It's really funny, because you can be having a conversation with them and this will be going on, but they never miss a beat in the conversation. I find it absolutely hilarious. Anyway, sorry it took me so long. I've rewritten this chapter like three times. Can you imagine? This was worse before! The story will pick up soon, promise. Just had to get them together. ON TO CHAPTER FOUR, (which I have half written, I just couldn't figure this chapter out.)