Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, brilliantly created by J.K.
Rowling. Most situations are based on those created by J.K. Rowling.
Chapter Five: Meeting at the Burrow
As Ginny entered the kitchen, she saw Harry engulfed in her mother's embrace. "Harry, dear, we're so glad to have you, as usual!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed. Ginny could hear the sympathetic tone her mother was using, and it continued as Mrs. Weasley inspected Harry from head to toe. "Harry, dear, you look so thin. Are you eating enough?"
"I'm all right," Harry said. Ginny noticed a change in his voice right away, and she threw a glance at Ron and Hermione, who she could see immediately had noticed it too. Not that they hadn't expected him to be different. Harry was forced to grow up too quickly, and his friends knew that. None of them had experienced a loss as substantial as their raven- haired friend's.
Mrs. Weasley looked Harry over one more time. "You're sure I can't fix you something dear?"
"Yes," said Harry. "I'm fine."
Ron and Hermione now surrounded Harry, giving him their sympathies, again. Then, seeing Harry's face and knowing he didn't want to talk about it, they headed up to Ron's bedroom. Harry took comfort in the familiarity of the orange room and even managed a smile. "Would you like to practice some Quidditch?" Ron asked, knowing that a ride on his Firebolt always seemed to put Harry in a better mood.
"Ron, I just traveled here on the bloody broomstick," Harry said. "I don't want to get back on it."
"Well, we could just go outside then," said Ron. "It's a nice day."
"You two go," said Harry. "I'd like to stay here."
"Harry," Hermione decided to be blunt. "You need to distract yourself. You can't just sit around and think gloomy thoughts all day."
"I know that, Hermione," Harry said. He didn't snap at her, but spoke in a defeated tone, as if he was simply just tired of the world around him. "I know that." The three friends stood in silence for a moment. Ron and Hermione were at a loss for words. An angry Harry was someone they could understand, but a Harry with no drive was confusing. Harry was the one who broke the ice again. "Really. I'll be fine. Up and about in no time. But right now I want to stay here and just be by myself."
"All right then mate," said Ron. "But I hope you'll be able to get some peace with the likes of HIM about." Ron gestured toward the ceiling and sure enough they could hear the ghoul clanging about. It actually made Harry smile a bit.
"Well, I guess I'll just have to deal with it," he said. "Now, what are you waiting for? Go outside, enjoy the day. I'll be down in a bit." Though they weren't sure it was the best idea, Ron and Hermione honored Harry's wishes and headed downstairs.
* * *
Once they were in the backyard, Ron and Hermione weren't quite sure what to do. They'd been alone before. They'd been alone a lot before, whenever Harry was in the hospital wing, or when they were on prefect duty, or when Harry had Quidditch practice but the problem with Harry seemed to linger between them. When Harry was injured, they knew all they had to do was be by his bedside to make him feel better. When Harry was playing Quidditch, they knew all they had to do was cheer for him on the sidelines. But a quiet, distant Harry seemed to want nothing to with them, so they had no choice but to go on as though Harry wasn't even there.
"I thought you wanted to play Quidditch," Hermione said as she and Ron walked around the yard.
"Nah," he said. "I like when Harry joins in. Plus Fred and George are at the shop, so we don't really have a whole team."
"Ron, can I ask you something?" Hermione asked. The tone of her voice made Ron interested immediately.
"Sure."
"How is it that. that. you and Harry can fly so well?" she asked. Ron smiled at her question, but more at the way she asked it. She seemed so shy about it.
"Well, I don't know," said Ron. "It's just something we picked up, I guess."
"I mean, it's the only thing I don't know how to do. Well, I mean I know the basics of it, but I could never travel for too long on one, or play Quidditch. Not that I'd want to get into the sport even if I DID know how to ride the broom properly but-"
"Hermione, do you want me to show you?" Ron asked, cutting her off. Hermione didn't say anything. "I could, y'know. Maybe it would help." Hermione still said nothing. "Come on, we have nothing else to do. It might be fun."
"Okay, then. Show me how."
* * * Twenty minutes later, Harry was watching from Ron's bedroom window as Ron showed Hermione how he flew on a broomstick. Harry was surprised at the way Hermione was acting, as though she had never touched a broom before. He knew that she was a fairly good flyer. Never a champion, but she knew what she was doing. She always did. He wondered why she was acting the way she was.
Harry noticed Ron was acting differently too. He seemed happy that he knew something Hermione didn't, and he was pleased to take advantage of that fact. He was helping her with everything, making sure to tell her every bit of knowledge that he knew. Before he knew it, they were flying low to the ground, sharing the same broom.
All Harry could think was, 'Weird.'
* * *
"Okay, Ron, I think I got it now," Hermione said, and Ron let the broom down and their feet touched the ground. "Can I try it by myself?"
"Be my guest," said Ron, and he held out the broom to her. Hermione expertly mounted it and flew two laps around the backyard before landing smoothly in front of Ron's feet.
"That was really great!" Ron exclaimed. "In fact, it was so great, I think that someone may have been misleading me when they said they didn't know how to fly very well."
Hermione blushed. "Well, it gave us something to do, didn't it?"
Ron looked as though he was going to protest, but then thought better of it. "Yeah, I guess it did!" he exclaimed. "But don't you dare tell me that you can't play Quidditch with us!"
Hermione started to laugh, which made Ron begin to chuckle as well. It felt good to laugh together, after all the tension from the past year. However, as the laughter started to die down, they both felt something strange, something that pulled them towards the other person. They stared into each other's eyes, locked, until a commotion from the house forced them to run inside and see what was going on.
* * *
"Oh my goodness! Bill! Charlie! What in heaven's name are you doing here?" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed as she hugged her two eldest sons.
"We're not quite sure," said Charlie. "Percy told us to come."
"Percy? He's coming too?" Mrs. Weasley asked.
"What's going on?" Ron asked as he and Hermione entered the kitchen. They were joined almost immediately by Ginny and Harry coming from the stairs.
"Percy wants us all to meet here," Bill explained. "Said something about a family meeting. Fred and George are just closing up for lunch, so they should be here any minute."
"Well, this is a special occasion. The whole family together!" Mrs. Weasley clapped her hands together. "This calls for a celebration. A hand please, Ginny?" Ginny followed Mrs. Weasley and they began to prepare a special lunch for the whole family. Hermione soon followed.
Harry took the opportunity to talk to Ron. "Hey mate, what were you and Hermione doing?"
"I was teaching her to fly," said Ron. "But I think she knows more than she lets on."
"Ron?" Harry asked. "Do you fancy Hermione?"
"What?!" Ron exclaimed in disbelief. "Hermione is our friend. I can't like her that way!"
"But DO you?" Harry pressed.
"No!" Ron exclaimed, much in the tone of a five year old accused of liking a girl.
Harry didn't believe Ron. He had seen the way he and Hermione looked at each other sometimes. He wasn't sure what to think about it though. He was happy for his friends, but also worried about what their getting together would do to the three of them. But since Ron was so adamant in denying his feelings, Harry didn't think he had anything to worry about for a while. Still, he didn't let on what he suspected to Ron. All he said was, "Okay. If you say so."
Ron seemed about to comment, but Fred and George suddenly apparated into the kitchen. "So what's this all about, huh?" came Fred's voice.
"We'll find out soon enough," said Mrs. Weasley. "All we're missing now are your father and Percy."
As though she had spoken the magic words, Arthur and Percy Weasley appeared in the kitchen. They were soon followed by Penelope Clearwater, Percy's longtime girlfriend. "About time Percy!" exclaimed George, making Fred laugh. "What's this all about?"
Mrs. Weasley and Ginny had returned, making the crowd in the living room quite large. "Why don't we all sit down to lunch?" Percy asked.
"Well, it's not quite ready," said Mrs. Weasley. "But whatever it is, Percy, please tell us. Is it important?"
"Very," said Percy. "You see, the thing is, Penelope and I are going to be married."
* * *
At dinner that night, which Mrs. Weasley insisted the entire clan attend, the joy at Percy's announcement could still be felt. Mrs. Weasley couldn't believe that one of her children was getting married. She was full of the usual questions, such as when the couple planned to get married (they said soon, in the next couple of months) and when and how many grandchildren she could expect (they declined to answer on this one, saying it would all happen when it happens). Still, nothing could take away from the pleasant, though far from quiet evening at the Weasley house.
Chapter Five: Meeting at the Burrow
As Ginny entered the kitchen, she saw Harry engulfed in her mother's embrace. "Harry, dear, we're so glad to have you, as usual!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed. Ginny could hear the sympathetic tone her mother was using, and it continued as Mrs. Weasley inspected Harry from head to toe. "Harry, dear, you look so thin. Are you eating enough?"
"I'm all right," Harry said. Ginny noticed a change in his voice right away, and she threw a glance at Ron and Hermione, who she could see immediately had noticed it too. Not that they hadn't expected him to be different. Harry was forced to grow up too quickly, and his friends knew that. None of them had experienced a loss as substantial as their raven- haired friend's.
Mrs. Weasley looked Harry over one more time. "You're sure I can't fix you something dear?"
"Yes," said Harry. "I'm fine."
Ron and Hermione now surrounded Harry, giving him their sympathies, again. Then, seeing Harry's face and knowing he didn't want to talk about it, they headed up to Ron's bedroom. Harry took comfort in the familiarity of the orange room and even managed a smile. "Would you like to practice some Quidditch?" Ron asked, knowing that a ride on his Firebolt always seemed to put Harry in a better mood.
"Ron, I just traveled here on the bloody broomstick," Harry said. "I don't want to get back on it."
"Well, we could just go outside then," said Ron. "It's a nice day."
"You two go," said Harry. "I'd like to stay here."
"Harry," Hermione decided to be blunt. "You need to distract yourself. You can't just sit around and think gloomy thoughts all day."
"I know that, Hermione," Harry said. He didn't snap at her, but spoke in a defeated tone, as if he was simply just tired of the world around him. "I know that." The three friends stood in silence for a moment. Ron and Hermione were at a loss for words. An angry Harry was someone they could understand, but a Harry with no drive was confusing. Harry was the one who broke the ice again. "Really. I'll be fine. Up and about in no time. But right now I want to stay here and just be by myself."
"All right then mate," said Ron. "But I hope you'll be able to get some peace with the likes of HIM about." Ron gestured toward the ceiling and sure enough they could hear the ghoul clanging about. It actually made Harry smile a bit.
"Well, I guess I'll just have to deal with it," he said. "Now, what are you waiting for? Go outside, enjoy the day. I'll be down in a bit." Though they weren't sure it was the best idea, Ron and Hermione honored Harry's wishes and headed downstairs.
* * *
Once they were in the backyard, Ron and Hermione weren't quite sure what to do. They'd been alone before. They'd been alone a lot before, whenever Harry was in the hospital wing, or when they were on prefect duty, or when Harry had Quidditch practice but the problem with Harry seemed to linger between them. When Harry was injured, they knew all they had to do was be by his bedside to make him feel better. When Harry was playing Quidditch, they knew all they had to do was cheer for him on the sidelines. But a quiet, distant Harry seemed to want nothing to with them, so they had no choice but to go on as though Harry wasn't even there.
"I thought you wanted to play Quidditch," Hermione said as she and Ron walked around the yard.
"Nah," he said. "I like when Harry joins in. Plus Fred and George are at the shop, so we don't really have a whole team."
"Ron, can I ask you something?" Hermione asked. The tone of her voice made Ron interested immediately.
"Sure."
"How is it that. that. you and Harry can fly so well?" she asked. Ron smiled at her question, but more at the way she asked it. She seemed so shy about it.
"Well, I don't know," said Ron. "It's just something we picked up, I guess."
"I mean, it's the only thing I don't know how to do. Well, I mean I know the basics of it, but I could never travel for too long on one, or play Quidditch. Not that I'd want to get into the sport even if I DID know how to ride the broom properly but-"
"Hermione, do you want me to show you?" Ron asked, cutting her off. Hermione didn't say anything. "I could, y'know. Maybe it would help." Hermione still said nothing. "Come on, we have nothing else to do. It might be fun."
"Okay, then. Show me how."
* * * Twenty minutes later, Harry was watching from Ron's bedroom window as Ron showed Hermione how he flew on a broomstick. Harry was surprised at the way Hermione was acting, as though she had never touched a broom before. He knew that she was a fairly good flyer. Never a champion, but she knew what she was doing. She always did. He wondered why she was acting the way she was.
Harry noticed Ron was acting differently too. He seemed happy that he knew something Hermione didn't, and he was pleased to take advantage of that fact. He was helping her with everything, making sure to tell her every bit of knowledge that he knew. Before he knew it, they were flying low to the ground, sharing the same broom.
All Harry could think was, 'Weird.'
* * *
"Okay, Ron, I think I got it now," Hermione said, and Ron let the broom down and their feet touched the ground. "Can I try it by myself?"
"Be my guest," said Ron, and he held out the broom to her. Hermione expertly mounted it and flew two laps around the backyard before landing smoothly in front of Ron's feet.
"That was really great!" Ron exclaimed. "In fact, it was so great, I think that someone may have been misleading me when they said they didn't know how to fly very well."
Hermione blushed. "Well, it gave us something to do, didn't it?"
Ron looked as though he was going to protest, but then thought better of it. "Yeah, I guess it did!" he exclaimed. "But don't you dare tell me that you can't play Quidditch with us!"
Hermione started to laugh, which made Ron begin to chuckle as well. It felt good to laugh together, after all the tension from the past year. However, as the laughter started to die down, they both felt something strange, something that pulled them towards the other person. They stared into each other's eyes, locked, until a commotion from the house forced them to run inside and see what was going on.
* * *
"Oh my goodness! Bill! Charlie! What in heaven's name are you doing here?" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed as she hugged her two eldest sons.
"We're not quite sure," said Charlie. "Percy told us to come."
"Percy? He's coming too?" Mrs. Weasley asked.
"What's going on?" Ron asked as he and Hermione entered the kitchen. They were joined almost immediately by Ginny and Harry coming from the stairs.
"Percy wants us all to meet here," Bill explained. "Said something about a family meeting. Fred and George are just closing up for lunch, so they should be here any minute."
"Well, this is a special occasion. The whole family together!" Mrs. Weasley clapped her hands together. "This calls for a celebration. A hand please, Ginny?" Ginny followed Mrs. Weasley and they began to prepare a special lunch for the whole family. Hermione soon followed.
Harry took the opportunity to talk to Ron. "Hey mate, what were you and Hermione doing?"
"I was teaching her to fly," said Ron. "But I think she knows more than she lets on."
"Ron?" Harry asked. "Do you fancy Hermione?"
"What?!" Ron exclaimed in disbelief. "Hermione is our friend. I can't like her that way!"
"But DO you?" Harry pressed.
"No!" Ron exclaimed, much in the tone of a five year old accused of liking a girl.
Harry didn't believe Ron. He had seen the way he and Hermione looked at each other sometimes. He wasn't sure what to think about it though. He was happy for his friends, but also worried about what their getting together would do to the three of them. But since Ron was so adamant in denying his feelings, Harry didn't think he had anything to worry about for a while. Still, he didn't let on what he suspected to Ron. All he said was, "Okay. If you say so."
Ron seemed about to comment, but Fred and George suddenly apparated into the kitchen. "So what's this all about, huh?" came Fred's voice.
"We'll find out soon enough," said Mrs. Weasley. "All we're missing now are your father and Percy."
As though she had spoken the magic words, Arthur and Percy Weasley appeared in the kitchen. They were soon followed by Penelope Clearwater, Percy's longtime girlfriend. "About time Percy!" exclaimed George, making Fred laugh. "What's this all about?"
Mrs. Weasley and Ginny had returned, making the crowd in the living room quite large. "Why don't we all sit down to lunch?" Percy asked.
"Well, it's not quite ready," said Mrs. Weasley. "But whatever it is, Percy, please tell us. Is it important?"
"Very," said Percy. "You see, the thing is, Penelope and I are going to be married."
* * *
At dinner that night, which Mrs. Weasley insisted the entire clan attend, the joy at Percy's announcement could still be felt. Mrs. Weasley couldn't believe that one of her children was getting married. She was full of the usual questions, such as when the couple planned to get married (they said soon, in the next couple of months) and when and how many grandchildren she could expect (they declined to answer on this one, saying it would all happen when it happens). Still, nothing could take away from the pleasant, though far from quiet evening at the Weasley house.