A/N: Sorry about the last chapter, guys. I know you were hoping for
more Ginny and Harry. I just love Hermione and Ron too much to leave them
out almost entirely. Hope this will make up for it.don't be mad if you
don't like this chapter. I PROMISE this fic will end happily! Oh, and I own
nothing. Don't sue. Please R/R. Thanks so much for your input!
Chapter Three: Asking Molly
Harry watched, speechless, as Ron sped away from the group, Hermione following. He had a pretty good idea about what that was all about. He knew about Ron's issues, as everyone did, but they all knew he'd be fine once Hermione talked some sense into him. While they were great at bickering, they were even better about making up.
As they began to march up to the house, Harry felt a stare bore into the back of his neck. He turned to see Ginny shoot him a come-hither glance, and he relented, no questions asked. She led the way back up to the pitch, but he wasn't far behind. There, she whipped around to face him and kissed him hard on the lips. Though taken aback, Harry quickly gave in to the kiss, forgetting all of his nervousness and focusing on the here and the now. When they had to come up for breath, he caught Ginny's gaze and held it for what seemed like forever.
Ginny giggled, "I've been wanting to do that all day."
"What stopped you?"
"Six red-heads and Beaters clubs," she replied with a smile.
From the back porch, they could hear Mrs. Weasley's bellowing, motherly voice yell that it was time for dinner. Harry grabbed Ginny's hand, kissed it, and led the way back to The Burrow, ready to feast.
**********
Dinner that night was no less than chaotic. With all the family (and then some) there, it was hard to hear anything over the din. Bill and his new girlfriend ("I think this one will last," said Ron) were involved in a conversation with the elder Weasleys about the new Muggle Security Act that had been passed that week, while Percy and pregnant Penelope were discussing baby names with Charlie and his wife, Rebecca. Fred and George were in deep conversation about their new top-secret pranks with Ron and Hermione ("It does what?!" they could hear Hermione shout). This left Harry and Ginny to themselves at the end of one of the long benches on either side of the table.
Speaking quietly, Harry told her, "I could definitely get used to this."
"What?" she asked, "the noise level?"
"No," he replied, "The huge family. I feel like I really am a Weasley sometimes."
Ginny muttered something so quietly Harry couldn't make it out apart from the other noise. "What's that?"
"I said, 'You could be.' A Weasley, I mean." Ginny's cheeks blushed a deep crimson.
Harry grinned. "Are you suggesting something specific, Virginia Weasley?"
"Never you mind. It doesn't matter."
"Oh, yes, it does. Tell me." But by then, people had noticed the heavy flirtation on one side of the bench. The decibel level was much lower at this point, as nearly all eyes turned to Harry and Ginny. When it was apparent that they weren't going to continue this semi-private conversation at the dinner table, everyone resumed their conversation for a few minutes, before lethargy set in.
"Well, Mum, that was wonderful, but are you sure you haven't gone too far?" George asked Molly.
"Yeah, Mum. Christmas Eve is tomorrow night, and you're wasting all the good cheer!" his twin added.
Bill intervened. "If we were Jewish, we could have this kind of feast eight nights in a row, you know."
"I'm converting!" came the simultaneous reply from the twin terrors.
While everyone was getting up, and slowly moving their way into the den, no one saw Harry nudge his way up to the Weasley parents, except Ginny, that is. She didn't want to intrude however, so she herded into the den with the rest of them, bursting with curiosity. Could it be? No way. But then.
**********
Just like no one saw him approaching them, no one but Arthur and Molly heard Harry's next words:
"Mr. and Mrs. Weasley? Do you think I could have a word? It's rather important."
"Why, of course, dear," was Molly's reply. "Is something wrong?"
But Molly definitely didn't look concerned for Harry's health or well- being. In fact, Mrs. Weasley looked as though she were concealing a large smile. Arthur was slightly better at hiding his own feelings, but not by much. All of Harry's nerves came back to haunt him as he looked into their faces. When Molly suggested they sit at the table, Harry literally jumped at the chance, not trusting his weak knees to hold out much longer. He looked from Molly, to Arthur, and back to Molly again. There's no way I'm going to be able to do this.he thought to himself. He couldn't do it then. He was just too nervous. It would have to wait until the next night, Christmas Eve.
Mrs. Weasley, practically a mother to Harry, was just short of becoming a mind reader in her long years. Having seven children, each with different needs, could easily do that to you. So when she saw Harry's face showing the smallest signs of faltering, she knew she would have to intervene. She knew (or hoped she knew) what he was going to be asking her, and she wasn't taking the chance of him backing out for an even longer amount of time. As Harry opened his mouth to speak, she cut him off.
"Harry, dear, don't be afraid. I won't bite. Tell me what you came to tell me. Please, Harry." Biting her lip, holding the smile that threatened to escape from her lips, she knew her encouragement had been enough. She knew he was finally going to ask her.
Images ran through Molly's mind: Ginny in her beautiful wedding gown, which had passed through the family for generations; Harry at the altar, looking as nervous there as he was before her now; Ginny holding a red- haired beauty, another rare female addition to the Weasley family; Seeing Harry, her son-in-law at the house every weekend.
Molly's daydreams stopped short when she saw Harry start to fidget again. "Harry? What is it dear?"
"Oh, right, I.that is to say.Mrs. Weasley."
"Yes?"
"Er.do you think I could."
"Yes?"
"Ask your opinion on what to get Ginny for Christmas?"
As Molly's face fell, so did Harry's spirit. He'd chickened out. He had Ginny's present, but now he had no idea how he could give it to her.
Chapter Three: Asking Molly
Harry watched, speechless, as Ron sped away from the group, Hermione following. He had a pretty good idea about what that was all about. He knew about Ron's issues, as everyone did, but they all knew he'd be fine once Hermione talked some sense into him. While they were great at bickering, they were even better about making up.
As they began to march up to the house, Harry felt a stare bore into the back of his neck. He turned to see Ginny shoot him a come-hither glance, and he relented, no questions asked. She led the way back up to the pitch, but he wasn't far behind. There, she whipped around to face him and kissed him hard on the lips. Though taken aback, Harry quickly gave in to the kiss, forgetting all of his nervousness and focusing on the here and the now. When they had to come up for breath, he caught Ginny's gaze and held it for what seemed like forever.
Ginny giggled, "I've been wanting to do that all day."
"What stopped you?"
"Six red-heads and Beaters clubs," she replied with a smile.
From the back porch, they could hear Mrs. Weasley's bellowing, motherly voice yell that it was time for dinner. Harry grabbed Ginny's hand, kissed it, and led the way back to The Burrow, ready to feast.
**********
Dinner that night was no less than chaotic. With all the family (and then some) there, it was hard to hear anything over the din. Bill and his new girlfriend ("I think this one will last," said Ron) were involved in a conversation with the elder Weasleys about the new Muggle Security Act that had been passed that week, while Percy and pregnant Penelope were discussing baby names with Charlie and his wife, Rebecca. Fred and George were in deep conversation about their new top-secret pranks with Ron and Hermione ("It does what?!" they could hear Hermione shout). This left Harry and Ginny to themselves at the end of one of the long benches on either side of the table.
Speaking quietly, Harry told her, "I could definitely get used to this."
"What?" she asked, "the noise level?"
"No," he replied, "The huge family. I feel like I really am a Weasley sometimes."
Ginny muttered something so quietly Harry couldn't make it out apart from the other noise. "What's that?"
"I said, 'You could be.' A Weasley, I mean." Ginny's cheeks blushed a deep crimson.
Harry grinned. "Are you suggesting something specific, Virginia Weasley?"
"Never you mind. It doesn't matter."
"Oh, yes, it does. Tell me." But by then, people had noticed the heavy flirtation on one side of the bench. The decibel level was much lower at this point, as nearly all eyes turned to Harry and Ginny. When it was apparent that they weren't going to continue this semi-private conversation at the dinner table, everyone resumed their conversation for a few minutes, before lethargy set in.
"Well, Mum, that was wonderful, but are you sure you haven't gone too far?" George asked Molly.
"Yeah, Mum. Christmas Eve is tomorrow night, and you're wasting all the good cheer!" his twin added.
Bill intervened. "If we were Jewish, we could have this kind of feast eight nights in a row, you know."
"I'm converting!" came the simultaneous reply from the twin terrors.
While everyone was getting up, and slowly moving their way into the den, no one saw Harry nudge his way up to the Weasley parents, except Ginny, that is. She didn't want to intrude however, so she herded into the den with the rest of them, bursting with curiosity. Could it be? No way. But then.
**********
Just like no one saw him approaching them, no one but Arthur and Molly heard Harry's next words:
"Mr. and Mrs. Weasley? Do you think I could have a word? It's rather important."
"Why, of course, dear," was Molly's reply. "Is something wrong?"
But Molly definitely didn't look concerned for Harry's health or well- being. In fact, Mrs. Weasley looked as though she were concealing a large smile. Arthur was slightly better at hiding his own feelings, but not by much. All of Harry's nerves came back to haunt him as he looked into their faces. When Molly suggested they sit at the table, Harry literally jumped at the chance, not trusting his weak knees to hold out much longer. He looked from Molly, to Arthur, and back to Molly again. There's no way I'm going to be able to do this.he thought to himself. He couldn't do it then. He was just too nervous. It would have to wait until the next night, Christmas Eve.
Mrs. Weasley, practically a mother to Harry, was just short of becoming a mind reader in her long years. Having seven children, each with different needs, could easily do that to you. So when she saw Harry's face showing the smallest signs of faltering, she knew she would have to intervene. She knew (or hoped she knew) what he was going to be asking her, and she wasn't taking the chance of him backing out for an even longer amount of time. As Harry opened his mouth to speak, she cut him off.
"Harry, dear, don't be afraid. I won't bite. Tell me what you came to tell me. Please, Harry." Biting her lip, holding the smile that threatened to escape from her lips, she knew her encouragement had been enough. She knew he was finally going to ask her.
Images ran through Molly's mind: Ginny in her beautiful wedding gown, which had passed through the family for generations; Harry at the altar, looking as nervous there as he was before her now; Ginny holding a red- haired beauty, another rare female addition to the Weasley family; Seeing Harry, her son-in-law at the house every weekend.
Molly's daydreams stopped short when she saw Harry start to fidget again. "Harry? What is it dear?"
"Oh, right, I.that is to say.Mrs. Weasley."
"Yes?"
"Er.do you think I could."
"Yes?"
"Ask your opinion on what to get Ginny for Christmas?"
As Molly's face fell, so did Harry's spirit. He'd chickened out. He had Ginny's present, but now he had no idea how he could give it to her.